Natural therapies for your thyroid

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Your thyroid gland controls many body processes, such as the rate of metabolism. This butterfly-shaped endocrine gland manufactures and secretes thyroxin (T4) in response to the release of TSH from the pituitary gland. The thyroid responds by producing and secreting the needed amount of thyroid hormone into the blood stream.

If there is not enough T4 in the system, it is classified as hypothyroidism. On the other hand, if there is too much thyroid hormone it is called hyperthyroidism. Both conditions are autoimmune diseases denoting thyroid hormone imbalance that can show outward signs of it’s existence, such as thyroid eye disease.

What Is Thyroid Eye Disease?

Thyroid eye disease, or TED, is characterized by the protrusion of the eyeballs. It is most prevalent in Graves disease, caused by an overproduction of thyroid hormone or hyperthyroidism, also known as overactive thyroid. This condition also presents itself when thyroid hormone levels are normal (euthyroid), as well as when there is inefficient thyroid hormone (hypothyroidism) present in the body.

Frequently Asked Questions

QUESTION:
Links to thyroid autoimmune diseases and Type I Diabetes?
I’ve heard there are links to thyroid autoimmune diseases and Type I Diabetes. I know if you have Type I Diabetes you are more likely to develop a number of other autoimmune diseases such as thyroid diseases and coeliac disease. If I have a thyroid autoimmune disease am I more likely to develop Type I Diabetes? Is it worth asking my doctor to check for antibodies for this every now and again?

ANSWER:
They are in the same group of diseases (as are ceoliacs and eczema and a few others) – they are all auto immune diseases. You may have a genetic predisposition to autoimmune disease and that is why you developed your thyroid problem and for the same reason you could be more likely to get type 1 diabetes or any other auto immune disease, but I wouldn’t worry too much about it. Type 1 diabetes normally develops during childhood so if you’re an adult already then you’re less likely to develop it. I have type 1 diabetes and no one in my family has it but my mum has an underactive thyroid and ceoliacs disease so you can get one kind of auto immune disease and not another even if you have a genetic predisposition to them all. All this said, it doesn’t hurt to get tested once in a while – they test me for thyroid and ceoliac problems every year at the hospital so I don’t see why they shouldn’t do the same for you with diabetes! Hope that helps xx
ps auto immune disease isn’t the same as being immune compromised lol!

QUESTION:
Will a typical blood test for autoimmune diseases detect thyroid Graves Disease?
I had a blood test a few years ago to detect for autoimmune diseases. Could I have developed Graves since then?

ANSWER:

QUESTION:
Autoimmune thyroid disease and rheumatoid arthritis?
I am 16 and i have hashimoto’s thyritis (auto immune thyroid disease). my mother has the same condition but I do not know the cause of her’s, she also has rheumatoid arthritis, does this increase my chances of having rheumatoid arthritis?

ANSWER:
Yes. If you know that you have an autoimmune condition it DOES increase the statistics of future autoimmune problems like Lupus, Addison’s, RA, Cushing’s, etc. (many more)

Because your body has already proven itself to be unreliable in it’s immunity actions (Hashi’s) it’s assumed that there will lbe more. Many patients with autoimmune thyroid itis often develop adrenal issues. (adrenal insufficiency)

So odds are your mom’s thyroid is autoimmune since she has a second autoimmune deficiency. Don’t get scared these things can be managed but it is important to understand your risk factors.

QUESTION:
autoimmune thyroid disease .?
im am hypothyroid , and iv’e just been diagnosed with autoimmune thyroid disease ,, what does this mean ?….. is it all combined or a different disease ,,im puzzled ….. hope someon can give me a good explanation …thanks …..juls?

It does this by recognizing certain protein strands and tagging it with antibodies. Then your body sends out it seek and destroy immune mediators to kill off the tagged protein structures.

Usually this is how your body defends itself from viruses, bacteria, fungi, ect. There is a problem with your tagging system that has caused your body to attack itself. Your body is tagging your thyroid when it should not.

This is usually diagnosed by testing for antibodies in blood work, as well as clinical symptoms.

How does this happen?

There is no one pin pointed cause. The most popular reason is because of some break down in your filtering system. You normally keep bad things out through things like your skin, gut lining etc.

If there is a problem with your gut, things get through that shouldn’t, your body recognizes it as foreign, tags it and destroys it.

Sometimes the protein structures of the things that get through look like the protein structures that make up certain cells in your body. That is why you see some of the other post saying that this autoimmune disorder is related to other autoimmune disorders (diabetes, lupus, RA, etc).

It is really a problem with your filter, not your thyroid (or at least primarily the problem). Treating the thyroid might help somewhat, but it will not address the problem (in my example, the gut lining (filter) being disrupted).

I got more information on this and other thyroid problems on my blog.

QUESTION:
autoimmune thyroid disease, fibromyalgia & polycystic ovarian syndrome…is there a connection?
when i was 15 i was told i had PCOS because i had very irregular periods. ultrasounds were done and it was confirmed. i got pregnant, without treatment, and delivered in 06 with my son and 07 with my daughter. nothing eventful happened for a couple years and then in july of 09, my younger sister lost her 3 year battle with leukemia. when i was getting a haircut for her funeral, my hairstylist (who i have been going to since i was born) said that my hair was really thinning and i should get my thyroid checked. it wasn’t on the top of my list at that point. i started medical school in sept of 09 and was having really bad knee and joint problems. i went to a rheumatologist and she diagnosed me with fibromyalgia. she wanted to do some more blood work because there is a history of lupus in the family. i just got a call from her yesterday and she left a voicemail saying i do have an autoimmune thyroid disease (she didn’t say which one on the voicemail) i have an appointment with her monday, but i was just wondering if there could be a connection between the PCOS, fibromyalgia and autoimmune thyroid disease because i know they all are hormonal problems. anyone know??

ANSWER:
My gosh. Yes, I think you are right – I have all three too. But my thyroid disease turned into cancer. I lost my fertility at 35 due to hysterectomy for horrible cystic ovaries and endometriosis. I am on pain medication all the time for fibromyalgia. I don’t know the answer to why these are connected, but I think you are right. I think there is some hormone/immune systerm connection though.
My endo did start me on metformin 2 months ago, and I do think it has helped me feel a little better. I definitely think you are on to something. I think you should become an endocrinologist/rheumatologist, there is alot of help needed in that field I think!

QUESTION:
Can autoimmune thyroid disease be fatal if left untreated? if so what do they die from cancer or heart attack?

ANSWER:
Auto-immune (AI) conditions are notoriously very difficult to treat.

There are some herbal/naturopathic treatments that can be quite beneficial… but when it comes to AI issues, anyone who prescribes without knowing your full medical history SHOULD NOT BE TRUSTED.

Seek medical advice from someone trained and qualified who can review your history, is aware of any tests you’ve had recently and can determine specifically what biological process needs to be addressed for your case… THEN pick the right herbal/natural treatments for you.

In Canada, check www.cand.ca to find a registered ND in your area.

QUESTION:
what is autoimmune thyroid disease?

ANSWER:
Hi Carcar,

Autoimmune diseases cause your body’s cells to attack itself, and in this case the cells destroy the thyroid gland. It can make you hyperthyroid (too much hormone) or hypothyroid (too little hormone). They each have their own set of symptoms and complications.

If you have this, it is easy to treat, but not *that* easy. There are different medications available and they must be taken for life, along with occasional blood work, and medication adjustments. It can be a bit of a roller coaster. Find a Dr you really like who listens.

This is the best source for thyroid help. I found it to be invaluable when I became hypothyroid due to autoimmune disease.

http://thyroid.about.com/

QUESTION:
(10 points if you help)(Auto immune diseases)Can you give me any advice?
I have 3 or 4 Autoimmune disease. Fibromialgia, Hashimotoe(thyroid diseases), Candida, and now my doc thinks I have Lupus. The blood test came back positive, but they can sometimes be wrong( thats what my doc said) Any advice from other people???? How to cope? Things that helps the diseases? Anything?
I eat very healthy. Little Gluten, no white flour or refined sugar. No artifal stuff.

ANSWER:
Yes, I have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Hashimoto as well. What I found to help more than all the medicine they will give you is to stop eating chemicals in your food. MSG (mono sodium glutamate) can mean trouble for you, I know it does for me. MSG has many name and a little research will give you answers. It stays in your system for a week. The turning point in my illness is when I stayed three weeks at the Optimum Health Institute in San Diego.

QUESTION:
Autoimmune diseases….please answer?
I was recently diagnosed with Hashimotos Disease (disease of the Thyroid) which is an autoimmune disease. I also have Irritable Bowel Syndrome (also autoimmune). My family has a history of Rheumatoid Arthritis and lupus, both are autoimmune diseases as well. I am wondering if I already have two autoimmune diseases does that mean that I am likely to be diagnosed with others, especially since my family has a history of others as well. Just curious. I meet with a specialist for the Hashimotos in February. Basically I know I have to take thyroid medicine the rest of my life. Not fun, but not as bad as it could be. Any input would be great. Thanks in advance to everybody.

ANSWER:
Yes, when you have one autoimmune disease, you are more likely to develop one or more autoimmune conditions. This video is very interesting and goes into more information and new research into the autoimmune process. I would book an appointment with this doctor if i lived in the US! >>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1nGfowaih4

Studies show 200mcg daily of selenium lowers TPO thyroid antibodies. Vitamin E maximises selenium absorption so recommended to take around 400 – 500IU daily. Trials also show a gluten free diet lowers antibodies. So you can reverse the antibodies attacking the thyroid and in turn reverse hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Celiac’s disease is linked to autoimmune thyroid disease and should be tested.

Selenium for hashimoto’s thyroiditis>>>

http://www.drdach.com/Selenium_Hashimotos.html

The Celiac/Autoimmune Thyroid Connection>>>

http://thyroid.about.com/cs/latestresearch/a/celiac.htm

Revolutionary breakthrough in hashimoto’s and hypothyroidism>>>

http://www.thyroidbook.com/

QUESTION:
Thyroid linked to autoimmune disease. Any help?
I am a 17 year old male. When i was just a year old doctors didn’t know really what was wrong with me. They thought it was cancer, some thought i wasn’t creating enough bone marrow. I was diagnosed with rumatic fever and a few other things i cant remember, but eventually i was diagnosed with and autoimmune disaese hypoimmuneaglobinnemeosis or something like that (the spelling maybe wrong.) My mom has recently been diagnosed with thyroid cancer and they took her thyroid out and she is now fine. And i’ve had alot of the same symptoms. Could all my health annomolies be caused by my thyroid. I’ve had my Th levels checked and one time it was elevated and the other was normal. Can you tell me an answer or help?

ANSWER:
u have congenital hypogammaglobulinaemia ,its low production of antibodies to combat disease ,your thyroid isnt related to the condition u have,and your mother diagnosed now with thyroid cancer does only increase your risk for it ,nothing else,,,

QUESTION:
higher risk of miscarriage with hashimoto-thyroiditis (autoimmune disease of the thyroid)?
i just had a miscarriage this week, i was 5-6 weeks along. i have hashimoto-thyroiditis, and i read that women with this autoimmune disease suffer from a higher risk of having a miscarriage than women without it. can anybody tell me more about this, maybe someone who has that illness too? it was my first pregnancy, i am 21 years old. i will be thankful for any kind of help or information.

ANSWER:
I looked into some articles for you and most are saying that the miscarriages are more common in 2nd trimester. 5 weeks is very early on.

There is some things you can do if you plan on getting pregnant again and one articles states this:

I think it is wise to see the endocrinologist and wait the recommended time before attempting pregnancy again. You need time to build up energy, as well as nutrient, iron and calcium stores again

Rates of recurrent miscarriage are reported to be higher in hypothyroid women than in those with normal thyroid studies.
Early replacement with thyroxine improves fetal outcome.
Because of the association between autoimmune thyroid disease and recurrent miscarriage, thryoid antibodies should be obtained in women with recurrent miscarriages.
There is no documented benefit from treating low-thyroid women with recurrent miscarriage with L-thyroxine.

QUESTION:
Thyroid Disease and Tachycardia……….?
I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s Thyrioditis (Autoimmune Thyroid disease) about 5 years ago The Doctor gave me Synthetic thyroid hormones… Synthroid and Levoxyl about 6 months later I would develope chest pain with in an hour of taking my meds. Over the years it got worse. To the point I went to the ER for treatment they said, my meds were working too well and that my symptoms were Tachycardia. They took me off all meds, but I am now feelings the effects from my thyroid and even after stopping I still have heart episodes. I never have had heart problems until I started taking meds. Is there anyway I can treat one condition without affecting the other?
I went to the ER for treatment for the pain from the tachycardia. I don’t rely on them for my treatment of my illness. My regular Doctor took me off of my meds after the ER doctor discovered the Tachycardia. I thought I was having a heart attack.

ANSWER:
You see your doctor is a very competent , he knew that Synthroid was accumulating in your blood resulting in false (Pseudo hyperthyroidism) symptoms, he had to do an ABRUPT WITH DRAWL. Kindly tell him to have the level of Synthroid in your blood/serum if facility is available.

Recheck with your doctor, these ER don’t take proper history or satisfy the patients.

QUESTION:
What is the best way to counteract an autoimmune disease?
I used to have Grave’s disease, which is autoimmune, until I had my thyroid gland removed. Now, I believe I have rheumatoid arthritis, which is also an autoimmune disease. Is there some way that I can build up my body so that it doesn’t attack itself? What would be the best diet and/or supplements to get rid of an autoimmune disease? My husband also has an autoimmune disease, so we are both very interested in finding the answers. Thanks!

ANSWER:
My sister has rheumatoid arthritis and my nephew was born with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. The dr.s said my nephew would either be almost healed or he would be dead by 17 and that alot could depend on his diet and life style. My sister took him to a kinesiologist (don’t know how to spell it but that’s what it sounds like) which is a vitamin and mineral specialist. He is now 14 and the only problem he seems to have is the arthritic pain in his knees. He gets sick maybe once every 2 – 3 years and has never gotten seriously ill. My sisters arthritis in her fingers seem to be her only issue and she never gets sick I can not remember the vitamins that my sister has them on but they definitely work. If you would like to email me I will ask my sister for you and let you know which vitamins they both take. AND DRINK A LOT OF WATER!! It is super important

QUESTION:
autoimmune diseases?
was diagnosed at age 31 with Graves Disease. The symptoms came on suddenly and severely. I was put on the medications used for Graves Disease and also the symptoms the Graves Disease was causing such as high blood pressure. Then I started getting severe hives to the point of having to be rushed to the ER because they were in my throat.

Three endocrinologists later it was determined by the majority that I was allergic to the Graves Disease medication and I should get radioactive iodine to destroy my thyroid. I was told that my increased heart rate, increased blood pressure etc. was life-threatening so I consented to the RAI.

I am now 35 years old and the journy to finding out exactly what is wrong with me continues. My thyroid eventually bottomed out after receiving the RAI, so I had all of those symptoms. I am currently on Synthroid 175 MCG. Then I was diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome. Then I developed insulin resistance. I am now on Janumet to control the insulin resistance. Last year I developed severe chronic anemia and had to get 9 rounds of IV iron infusions. For the last two years I have been going to my endocrinologist every three months because something always goes wrong. I had a bout of severe intestinal distress and kept nothing down for three weeks and celiac disease was ruled out by and colonoscopy. Between April and today I have lost 40 pounds. My latest round of blood work shows that I have diabetes insepidus (sp) which is caused by a malfunctioning pituitary gland. I also have a chronic UTI infection for the last four months, increased white blood count in my urine, chronic fatigue, horrible moods, achy joints and bones, and a general feeling of being confused and aggitated.

Anyone have any clues as to what I should do next? the endocrinologist ran some kind of blood work panel – -I believe called and ADH panel and I will get it back next week and then he wants to send me for an MRI. It was also shown that my thyroid is now overactive again even though technically I am not supposed to have a thyroid.

What are other options or other tests I should ask for. The doctors seem so confused with what is going on with me because with regard to the autoimmune diseases it is confusing. The third endocrinologist I have been seeing came highly recommended because he is used as an expert witness related to autoimmune disorderes in court cases.

Thanks for any help or guidance.

ANSWER:
I urge you to go to the nearest University Hospital (generally near a Medical School) for help. You now have several systems involved & you will go broke in bod & in dollars before long.

You’ll get the latest, best treatment for all your difficult problems there. They’ll help you find ways to meet the costs. You can also consider treatment overseas (India is very good, while reasonable in cost [even including food, flights, lodging + they speak English)! Be prepared to spend a lot of time & have a lot of patience; you already must be doing that anyhow… Honestly, just do it! Good luck!

QUESTION:
At work everyone got sick with flu and upper respitory infections?
Myself included now its almost a month later and I still cough alot,cant sleep much ,have a runny nose ,chills feel wiped out alot.Everyone else is better.Tomorrow Im going to the doctor for the second time as Im still miserable.I have autoimmune thyroid disease too.Could that be why Im still sick and they are all better?

ANSWER:
Two reasons: You autoimmune thyroid disease won’t help, and secondly you could have just had two bad colds (or flu) in a row. It happens sometimes. I’ve had 6 weeks before now of continous colds

Chin up

QUESTION:
Do I have a thyroid or autoimmune condition?
I’ve been having some seemingly minor health-related issues recently and I was wondering if these are indications of some kind of thyroid disease. I’m a 19 year old ethnically Chinese male born and raised in the USA.

I think I might have developed a mild case of Hives. It started around 1/3/11 and I get occasionally itchy around my legs arms back or chest which is followed by minor, small red bumps. It persists off and on daily usually in the morning/afternoon, but it isn’t too disruptive to everyday life. When I was maybe around 13, I also developed a case of shingles that went away after going to the doctor and taking meds.
I might also have some kind of Angioedema. It usually is just a raised bump under my eye about an inch and a half long when it occurs and goes away usually overnight. These started happening fairly infrequently maybe 6 months and might have happened on three or so occasions.
I’ve also developed a minor left eye twitch in the past 6 weeks or so. I’m not sure if this is at all related to the other issues.
My dad developed thyroid disease (I think hypothyroidism) sometime in his early-mid 20s which obviously raises my chances of having it.

Other than these symptoms, I don’t particularly identify with any of the common hypo or hyperthyroidism symptoms.

Finally, I should also note I took the quarter off from college to do some independent travelling in the Middle East and do some volunteer microfinance work in Uganda, so finding adequate healthcare might be an issue for me if there is indeed an imminent problem.
I’m still in Israel and have yet to travel to Uganda.

ANSWER:
Sounds like you have a significant Allergic history but not thyroid related. Know what you are allergic to and monitor your thyroid (TSH) levels with your doc every year. High TSH = hypothyroid. Low TSH = hyperthyroid. Good luck.

QUESTION:
Why do some people with autoimmune diseases have a problem with supplements that strengthen the immune system.?
My husband has Grave’s disease. He was put on methimazole (tapazole) to combat the hyperthyroidism. He’s been on it for over a year now, starting at 30 mg., then 20, then 10, then 5, back to 10 and then off the medication. The medication controlled his symptoms but the thyroid stimulating hormone level was virtually zero for a long time. Then on the last two blood tests, while taking 10 mg. the hormone level was in the normal range for both the T3 and T4. This gave us hope. Then the doctor told my husband to go off the medication and come back in one month. In just one month the levels changed drastically – zero, and high (showing hyperthyroidism again). When trying to figure out why going off a low dose of the medication would have such a drastic effect, we remembered that we tried a new supplement that is supposed to greatly inhance the immune system. Grave’s disease is an autoimmune disease. I heard that the medication (tapazole) actually suppresses the immune system. We are now thinking that the new supplement that my husband was taking messed up my husband’s thyroid levels. Why is this so? And is there any other natural treatment for this disease?

ANSWER:
Autoimmune disorders are caused by the immune system being hyperactive in a way – instead of attacking germs, they attack the body. Taking something to INCREASE the immune system is the last thing that someone with an autoimmune disorder would typically want to do….especially anything that increases macrophagic*** activity…

So yes, suppressing the immune response – would be what you want to do…

Stop taking anything that would increase immunity for 3 months and then follow your doctors suggestion for the hormone titration.

*** macrophages are part of the immune system that stimulate interleukin-1, it sounds the trumpet for the immune system to be on high alert – and in the case of those with autoimmune disorders, that means a sharp increase in symptom aggravation.

In case you want to learn more…

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macrophage

Herbs that would do that include Astragulus, echinecea, guggul, nettle, (and gobs of others), and vitamins A, C and Zinc, and the amino acid arginine – those are just off the top of my head. Sorry about the spelling – its way past my bed time.

QUESTION:
Thyroid Disease: Cancer vs Hashimoto’s?
I have recently been diagnosed with a thyroid disease. I am really not sure which one, my doctor is not very informative. I know that my grandma had her thyroid removed but I do not know the specifics and she is now deceased. I do know she had four incisions; two on the upper neck parallel with the jaw line, and two on lower neck parallel with the clavicle. I am curious to know if this was an autoimmune disease or cancer. And are there any genes that mark for these conditions.

As a side note my Thyroglobulin level is 26 and my Thyroid peroxidase level was 731.

ANSWER:
Do you have any nodules? If not, you probably don’t have cancer. They would have had you go in for a scan or a fine needle asperation or both to determine if you had cancer. You probably either have hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism. Here are some sites for you to look at, and don’t hesitate to ask a lot of questions when you see your doctor – or even call them. If they are not informative enough, please find another doctor. The thyroid is nothing to fool around with. I am sorry I do not know more about the test results you gave… I too am newly ( as of Jan. 2009) diagnosed with Hashimoto’s. I had a partial thyroidectomy too, due to nodules that were “suspicious”. Even after going through that, I am still very new to all this and read everything I can about it.

Best wishes and hope these sites help.

QUESTION:
Is Celiac Disease risk factors true?
I was looking at the risk factors because I may have celiac disease and they were type 1 diabetes, Autoimmune thyroid disease, microscopic colitis, and down syndrome. Can you develop down syndrome when your a teen or adult (not be born with it). I thought you had to be born with it to have it. If im right then how can people develop this if the have celiac disease. Thanks.

ANSWER:
You are born with Down Syndrome, you can’t develop it.

There are many other conditions that have been seen in people with Celiac Disease, diabetes and thyroid disease are some of them. But you can have all of these conditions and not have Celiac Disease and you can have none of these conditions but still have Celiac Disease. My Mum, my Uncle and I have Celiac Disease and they have none of those risk factors, I have a possible autoimmune disease.

If you think you have Celiac Disease you need to see a doctor and get a blood test done. If that comes back positive, you’ll need to have a biopsy to confirm it, if it comes back negative, it’s unlikely you have Celiac Disease.

…

QUESTION:
What blood test must be do to find if alopecia is androgenic or autoimmune?
I am the only person in my family with this disease and the hormons tests are o.k but I have many simptoms for thyroid disease.
Have you any advice?
Thanks.

ANSWER:
As far as I am aware Alopecia is not autoimmune. I have known people who have had the condition for five years and then suddenly it has vanished. Some Docs say it is stress, others bacterial the list is endless but your hair will eventually grow back, when I cannot say.

QUESTION:
Questions about Thyroid tests?
Okay, so my psychiatrist ordered a Thyroid test last week and I just got the results today. My TSH is pretty high, (7. something), and I have to make an appointment with a doctor to find out what it means. But, hospitals terrify me, and I’m a pretty big hypochondriac, so I was hoping someone could clear up a few things for me before I do that.

I’ve been researching thyroid disorders/diseases, but all it’s done is make me paranoid that I have cancer/an autoimmune disease. So:

What kind of tests do they run to find out this kind of thing? I’ve already had a blood test, but will they do anything more extreme, like a biopsy or something?
Also, how bad is a TSH level that’s over seven?

By the way, I’m sixteen and a girl if it’s relevant.
Thanks.
Thanks so much. They tested my T3 and T4 but I don’t have the sheet and forgot the levels… one of them was high though. Thanks for your help.

ANSWER:
Hi. You usually only need blood work done to diagnose a Thyroid problem. They need to run a TSH, FT3, FT4, and a Antibodies test. But with a TSH at 7, you probably have a Thyroid problem. Mine was 4.5 when i was diagnosed, and i was pretty sick. If they examine your Thyroid, and feel any lumps, then there is a possibility you could need a biopsy. Don’t get ahead of yourself, first find out if that’s really what you have, then continue from there. You will have to go on medication ( most likely for the rest of your life ) if you are diagnosed with Thyroid disease. Make sure you have a good doctor that listens to you, and is easy to work with. That’s very important when you have this disease. Good luck, and Take care

ANSWER:
i have graves’/hashimoto’s. it’s debilitating, mentally and physically.

QUESTION:
What level of iodine-131 environmental exposure is considered safe?
I’ve been looking at the levels of autoimmune conditions in Australia – particularly thyroid disease, starting in 1979 to the present day. I’m also looking at “second generation” exposure. Can anyone direct me to a website with a table illustrating the exposure rate and diseases that correlate with that exposure to fallout?

ANSWER:
During 1945 through 1962, many people in the United States were exposed to radiation fallout from iodine 131 (I-131) from multiple sources. Many of those exposed were children younger than 10 years of age, the population most vulnerable to radiation exposure. This exposure put those children at risk for thyroid and parathyroid disease and cancer of the thyroid.

QUESTION:
How long does it take to develop a goiter?
I was recently diagnosed with an autoimmune disease which resulted in a goiter (Hashimoto’s Disease). Does anyone know how long it would have taken for it to develop after being infected with an autoimmune disorder? My thyroid is 2-3 times larger than the normal size. How long has my goiter been developing? Months? Years?
Please, help. Thanks to everyone who answers.

I would reallllllllyyyyyyyyyyy like to know!

ANSWER:
I had a goiter for about 5 years,from what i remembered my neck started swelling uop from nowhere when i was out with my friend and then it went down on its own again. However before the swelling i noticed major changes in my mood and craving for alot of food. I thought nothing of it…and a couple of weeks later the goiter finally formed and it was huge.long story short i controlled it with medicine and radioactiive but neither worked as my body threw out the radioactive. so ten days ago i finally decided to have surgery and removed my entire thyroid because i simply could not control it with mediciation anymore and taking herbs and natural remedies did not work for me either. i feel great after the surgery,my heart is not longer pounding,no more breaking out in hives etc. I found an excellent surgeon who did not destroy my voice and my calcium levels were a little low after the operation but its back to normal now. however if u get save ur thyroid n radioactive works for u,then great,surgery should be your last option for graves disease.

QUESTION:
I have a multinodule goiter. Why do I have this and why does it continue to grow?
I have had biospy done, it is benien. My TSH was .5 and my T3 and T4 were in the high end of the normal range. I am a fifth generation woman to have a goiter in my family. I am a 30 years old female. I am trying to figure out why this runs so heavily in my family and by the way my family has a history of autoimmune disease such as R.A. and Reiter’s Syndrome (I am the first to have Reiter’s syndrome in my family) and so on. I am trying to make since of all of this since my goiter continues to grow. I am having another ultrasound next Tuesday. I live in the US so iodine is not the issue. There has to be a reason even a hidden one because this goiter issue just runs to hard on the family to be just simple gentics-except maybe a certain thyroid or pitutary disease.

ANSWER:
From what you wrote, I guess you’ve already read extensively regarding multinodular goitre (MNG) and other autoimmune diseases.

All i can tell you is this: the more it runs in the family, the more likely that this is due to genetics. Autoimmune diseases have a tendency to occur together (ie. if you have grave’s disease, there’s a higher likelihood that you’ll have other autoimmune problems like reiter’s and RA.).

My advice is for you not to search too hard for some other cause of the hereditary MNG. It may be difficult for you to blame it all on genetics, but that’s the way it is.

Besides iodine, you should ask your doctor about other alternatives. Many centres in the world will offer a total thyroidectomy for MNGs that continue increasing in size, as there is a possibility that one of the nodules may turn malignant in the future. The downside of surgery is that you’ll have to be on thyroid replacement medication for life. On the other hand, radioactive iodine can sometimes make one more prone to cancer, and will also eventually lead to hypothyroidism and need for thyroid replacement.

QUESTION:
Can you have two autoimmune disease?
Okay…..So I have Crohn’s Disease! Today I went to the doctors because I was running a fever of 103.4, sore throat, ears were bothering me….Like a common cold but at are college you can’t go to class if you have higher then a 99.9 fever! So I needed a doctors note! So when I get to the doctors the doctor does Strep test and Mono both come back negative! But he said that my Thyroid was swollen…So they did an ultrasound on my neck it came back that I have cyst on the thyroid and it was swollen! With swollen thyroid would be autoimmune? and Crohn’s is said to be an autoimmune? Has anyone hear of someone having both?

ANSWER:

QUESTION:
heart palpitations thyroid issue?
I have had heart palps for about 3 years. I know it sounds stupid but I didn’t know what they were until about a year ago. I had a lot of blood work, wore a 2 week holter moniter, had an echocardiogram and the results were all normal. The holter showed the palps but they weren’t from an abnormal origin. I did find out I have hashimoto’s thyroiditis. An autoimmune disease that attacks my thyroid. Now I live in a small town with not the best healthcare that’s why I am here posting. I went to an endocrinologist who didn’t want to give me medicine but my pcp thinks I need it so for almost 2 months I’m on .25 of synthroid. Worked great at first but I am having palps again, I called my pcp she gave me more bloodwork but it all came back normal so she won’t increase my synthroid so I tried on my own to double it I felt great but I can’t keep that up I will run out of meds. So what should I do now? Look for yet another doctor, suffer with my palps? I am going crazy here!

ANSWER:
Overactive thyroid can cause heart palpitations. Similarly the drug (Levothyroxine) you are taking can also cause heart palpitations as side effects.
Levothyroxine (generic name) Synthroid (brand name), a thyroid hormone, is used to treat hypothyroidism, a condition where the thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormone. Without this hormone, the body cannot function properly, resulting in: poor growth; slow speech; lack of energy; weight gain; hair loss; dry, thick skin; and increased sensitivity to cold. When taken correctly, levothyroxine reverses these symptoms. Levothyroxine is also used to treat congenital hypothyroidism (cretinism) and goiter (enlarged thyroid gland).
Consult your Endocrinologist.

QUESTION:
autoimmune disease help. ?
was diagnosed at age 31 with Graves Disease. The symptoms came on suddenly and severely. I was put on the medications used for Graves Disease and also the symptoms the Graves Disease was causing such as high blood pressure. Then I started getting severe hives to the point of having to be rushed to the ER because they were in my throat.

Three endocrinologists later it was determined by the majority that I was allergic to the Graves Disease medication and I should get radioactive iodine to destroy my thyroid. I was told that my increased heart rate, increased blood pressure etc. was life-threatening so I consented to the RAI.

I am now 35 years old and the journy to finding out exactly what is wrong with me continues. My thyroid eventually bottomed out after receiving the RAI, so I had all of those symptoms. I am currently on Synthroid 175 MCG. Then I was diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome. Then I developed insulin resistance. I am now on Janumet to control the insulin resistance. Last year I developed severe chronic anemia and had to get 9 rounds of IV iron infusions. For the last two years I have been going to my endocrinologist every three months because something always goes wrong. I had a bout of severe intestinal distress and kept nothing down for three weeks and celiac disease was ruled out by and colonoscopy. Between April and today I have lost 40 pounds. My latest round of blood work shows that I have diabetes insepidus (sp) which is caused by a malfunctioning pituitary gland. I also have a chronic UTI infection for the last four months, increased white blood count in my urine, chronic fatigue, horrible moods, achy joints and bones, and a general feeling of being confused and aggitated.

Anyone have any clues as to what I should do next? the endocrinologist ran some kind of blood work panel – -I believe called and ADH panel and I will get it back next week and then he wants to send me for an MRI. It was also shown that my thyroid is now overactive again even though technically I am not supposed to have a thyroid.

What are other options or other tests I should ask for. The doctors seem so confused with what is going on with me because with regard to the autoimmune diseases it is confusing. The third endocrinologist I have been seeing came highly recommended because he is used as an expert witness related to autoimmune disorderes in court cases.

Thanks for any help or guidance.

ANSWER:
I am sorry for your condition, and I have seen miracles.

There is no way I can know what you are going through, but I looked a few things up .

http://www.doctorzebra.com/prez/g41.htm

this site is about the health of former president Bush Sr.

He developed Graves and so did his wife
the odds of this, dr. Zebra, ar four million to one.

I remember a long time ago reading about the microwave bombardment of the Blair house and how people who lived there were sick with graves. can’t find a source, though, the Bushes lived there.

also I found a discussion about graves and radiation:

http://www.askwaltstollmd.com/archives/graves.html

there are many different points of view here- a lot of personal insights
Maybe , if you read through them there may be something else you can try.

QUESTION:
Is it safe for a pregnant woman to drink infant formula?
I would think not….

55.45ng/ml in milk of mothers with silicone implants
51.05ng/ml in milk of mothers without implants
746-13,811 ng/ml in 26 brands of formula tested for silicon
The effect of large amounts of silicon on an infant is unknown

Cadmium

Cadmium is a highly toxic metal that can cause kidney damage in high amounts. Neurotoxic effects such
as psychomotor disturbances, behavioral and cognitive disorders have been demonstrated in animal models
with low-dose exposure. Cadmium levels can be 6 times higher in soy formula compared to milk- based
formula. Cadmium is also found in cereals with the exposure of dietary cadmium from weaning diets up to
12 times higher in children fed infant formula compared to breast milk.
Genetically engineered corn and soy
Detected in Alsoy (Carnation/Nestle), Similac Neocare (Ross Labs), Isomil (Ross Labs), Prosobee (Mead
Johnson)
Transgenic ingredients pose the risk of introducing novel toxins, new allergens, and increased antibiotic
resistance to infants. The FDA does not require labeling of genetically engineered foods, so parents will
remain unaware that their baby is consuming transgenic ingredients

MSG (processed free glutamic acid and processed free aspartic acid)

These are known neurotoxins found in a number of infant formulas. Because the blood brain barrier is not
fully developed in infants, these neurotoxins are more accessible to the infant brain than the adult brain.
The highest levels of these neurotoxins were found in hypoallergenic formulas. Because no studies have
been done on the long term outcomes of infants fed on hypoallergenic formulas it is unknown if they
will exhibit more learning disabilities at school age, and/or more endocrine disorders such as obesity, and
reproductive disorders, later in life.

Phytoestrogens

Phytoestrogens are endocrine disruptors found in soy formulas. Infants fed soy formula can have circulating
phytoestrogen concentrations that are 13,000-22,000 times higher than normal levels in early life. These
bioactive compounds can create steroid hormone imbalance, compete with enzymes that metabolize steroids,
drugs and xenobiotics, and can influence gonadal function. Genistein can be carcinogenic if exposure
occurs during critical periods of differentiation. Soy formula has been linked to premature thelarche (breast
development in infants and girls under eight years of age). Phytoestrogens (isoflavones) also act on the
thyroid gland. They are well known inducers of goiter and anti-thyroid agents. They act against the thyroid
by inhibition of thyroid peroxidase. Children with autoimmune thyroid disease were three times more likely
to have been fed soy formula in infancy.
2

Phthalates and Bisphenol-A

These are endocrine disrupting industrial chemicals. Phthalates are used as plasticisers and are testicular
toxins as well as estradiol imitators.
Bisphenol-A is used in the production of polycarbonate plastics and has been found in plastic baby bottles.
It can leach from the container and has been known to be estrogenic since 1938. Bisphenol-A resins are
used as lacquers to coat metal products such as food cans. With a high affinity for fatty products, it has
been shown to leach into the content of cans during the autoclaving process, including cans of milk based
infant formula.
Contaminants in water used to reconstitute concentrated and powdered formula

Lead

Lead in water used to reconstitute formula can cause elevations in blood lead levels if used from the hot
water tap or boiled. Boiling concentrates lead. There is a 6 point IQ drop for every 10ug increase in blood
lead levels.

Nitrates

Infants fed formula reconstituted with nitrate-contaminated water are at risk for potentially fatal methemoglobinemia.
Nitrates are converted to nitrites by the baby resulting in hemoglobin being converted to
methemoglobin that cannot bind molecular oxygen. This risk increases if babies under six months are also
fed baby food with high concentrations of nitrates such as green beans and bananas.

Atrazine

Atrazine is a weed killer that causes mammary and uterine cancer in rats. In the cities and towns with
the worst tap water contamination, formula-fed babies who consume reconstituted formula would receive a
lifetime dose of this chemical in the first four months of their lives.

Bacteria

Significant bacterial contamination can occur during home preparation of powdered infant formula.
Reconstituted formula stored in the refrigerator shows increasing bacterial counts over time

ANSWER:
makes me glad im a breastfeeder….but then again i was formula fed….i wonder how that affects my milk now…?

Do you think this should be required information for all families?
For those of you that have jumped on the negative bandwagon, all of this information has been well documented in medical journals. I did both with my twins, breast and bottle.
On alcohol they have warnings because it is a dangerous substance, so is formula. It is undeniable that it kills 1.5 million children per year. WIC in many states is having people sign an informed consent with this information. I am just seeing what others think.
If you don’t agree with facts you don’t have to be rude.
^ Lucas A, Cole TJ (1990). “Breast milk and neonatal necrotising enterocolitis”. Lancet 336 (8730): 1519–23. doi:10.1016/0140-6736(90)93304-8. PMID 1979363.
^ Duncan B, Ey J, Holberg CJ, Wright AL, Martinez FD, Taussig LM (1993). “Exclusive breast-feeding for at least 4 months protects against otitis media”. Pediatrics 91 (5): 867–72. PMID 8474804.
^ Levine OS, Farley M, Harrison LH, Lefkowitz L, McGeer A, Schwartz B (1999). “Risk factors for invasive pneumococcal disease in children: a population-based case-control study in North America”. Pediatrics 103 (3): E28. doi:10.1542/peds.103.3.e28. PMID 10049984.
^ Bachrach VR, Schwarz E, Bachrach LR (2003). “Breastfeeding and the risk of hospitalization for respiratory disease in infancy: a meta-analysis”. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 157 (3): 237–43. PMID 12622672.
^ Holberg CJ, Wright AL, Martinez FD, Ray CG, Taussig LM, Lebowitz MD (1991). “Risk factors for respiratory syncytial virus-associated lower respiratory illnesses in the
If you want a specific journal article I can send a link… For the lady that wanted info on appendicitis, here is the link http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/310/6983/836

ANSWER:
I think informed consent for use of infant formula is a good idea. I don’t think the information you’ve posted in your question is defensible, however.

QUESTION:
What is wrong with me? Is it lupus?
So I have been dealing with being seriously sick for over two years now. I was diagnosed with an autoimmune thyroid disease and celiac disease. I have been on a gluten free diet for about three months now and thyroid medication for about 1 year but nothing has changed, if anything it has gotten worse. I have a huge feeling that it is lupus but I was tested for it and it was negative. Could it be a false negative or do I have something else? These are my symptoms:
Fever
Extreme Fatigue (I cant even go to school anymore I’m so tired)
Weakness
Bad Muscle Aches
Joint Pain
Lack of appetite
Depression
Sun Sensitivity
Heart pains when i breathe deep
Hair loss
Mild case of anemia
Anxiety
Chills
Trouble Breathing
Headache
Dizziness
Stomach pain
Trouble focusing
Memory problems

What should I do? I need to figure this out soon cause i cant keep living like this.
Its not thyroid disease because my levels are in the normal range. Also I’ve been tested for mono more than once and it has come back negative. Its also not
MS because I was tested for that and it was negative, I also don’t have the same symptoms as MS

ANSWER:
wow..
It sounds like you have… everything.

Ask Dr.House.

QUESTION:
My 8 year old son has high Cholesterol (240), high LDL, but normal tryglicerides.?
Doc has refered us to an Endocrinologist. I am not finding a whole lot of helpful info online about this. Everything I’m finding says “High Cholesterol, high LDL, and High Tryglicerides lead to…yada, yada, yada, and then it goes on to say that basically the child should lose weight!! My child is 8 years old, and 69 pounds!! The only thing I’ve found that kept popping up is Adrenal Gland growths and other problems w/the adrenal glands. We putt him on fish oil when we got the diagnosis and 2 months after we had his Cholesterol retested and it was HIGHER! Now it’s even higher and he DOES NOT eat fried foods. He excersises and eats right, I don’t understand!! It is really scarring me now and I don’t know what to do. The doctors are always quick to say “It may be this, or it may be nothing” and then we have to WAIT forever it seems.

He tested negative for diabetes and Thyroid disease. I have autoimmune Thyroid disease (Fun Fun!) and my family has a history of Gland problems.

Just so you know a little of his symptoms, 2 years ago he went from a “Normal” child to I knew something was wrong but doc’s won’t test based on “My child just isn’t acting right, I know something’s wrong”. He started getting migranes (Had a CT or 2 not tumors), Moody as all get out, ADHD got worse (WAY worse), started getting into fights at school, went from an honor roll student to failing in two classes, 3 times on routine physicals they have found protein in his urine but after the 24 hour urine they say it’s fine, rashes/hives come and go, nervousness, he can go from hyper to tired/sleepy in no time at all, he sleeps well most nights but others not at all, hearing difficulties (but his hearing test is fine), blurred vision, and I’m sure I’m forgetting something but it’s been a rollercoaster.

Someone please give me some lead to go on here, I’ve researched the adrenal glands and he doesn’t have those symptoms so I don’t understand?? Someone please help!!

ANSWER:
Have they done a pituitary MRI (with and without contrast)? CTs don’t always pick up the pituitary very well. What are his cortisol test results? Those would be off too if he has adrenal problems. They may have ruled out pituitary problems based on the normal thyroid result but be aware that if he too has an autoimmune thyroid problem, if the pituitary is making it go down and autoimmune up (or is it the other way, cant remember) it may look normal. This happened to me…I have Hashimotos and a severe pituitary disorder and my thyroid results showed normal. The Drs ruled out pituitary disorder and delayed treatment until I found a good endo who figured it out. Some of his symptoms sound pituitary…brain fog, fatigue, etc. But rash doesn’t fit. Maybe some other autoimmune disorder.

QUESTION:
WHY am i sick every other month?
I’m 26 and I am sick every couple of weeks. It started in 2007 with double phnemonia and has kept going from there. I don’t understand why. I take lots of vitamins and i follow the same healthy regime that my spouse does and he never gets sick. The longest I have gone without being sick was from last september to december. I was sick by janurary and it lasted 6 weeks well into feburary.

I do have autoimmune thyroid disease but i doubt that has anything to do with it. I asked my doctor once if i was more susceptible to getting sick because of my autoimmune problem and he said no. He said because i was a smoker that was the reason. WELL i quit smoking beginning of janurary this year, and STILL ENDED UP SICK. Now i know what he told me was just a BS answer and a mean one.

The dr was giving me z-packs when i would get sick but since the end of last year i am unable to take it anymore, i get adverse reactions to it now.. severe stomach pain and vommitting if i take them. The only thing that has worked is straight up penicillain. I want to know why my doctor refuses to research the matter and why he just shrugs me off with some antibiotics… i keep getting sick and am neck-deep in medical bills already.

Right now I have a dry sore throat and its causing me to cough. I have no sinus or nasal congestion at all no breathing problems no fever so whatever it is it’s just getting started. My spouse is fine and no one at work is sick either. I’m so frustrated …..

ANSWER:
They say women between 20 and 30 get more colds than anyone else. Also if you’re overweight that is also supposed to set you up for more colds. Smoking of course, but you’ve stopped. Are you around more children than your spouse? When children have colds, they can spread them easier than adults. They also say that people with allergies have more colds.

Maybe you should try washing your hands and keeping your hands away from your nose when you are out. I was watching Dr.Oz on TV the other day and he said it can really make a difference how many cold you have a year if you just do things like that (washing your hands, etc)

I don’t think that having a lot of colds is an immune system problem. But if you had pneumonia ever year or so, that might be.

Also, I don’t go to doctors that won’t explain or talk a few minutes to me. Sometimes I can communicate better with women doctors. Change doctors, until you get one you want to keep.

Oh, and take probiotics a couple hours after you take your antibiotic.

QUESTION:
Is there a way to see only bmi on the wii fit and not your weight?
I’ve been struggling with my weight since i was a child, due to autoimmune thyroid disease, pcos and adrenal problems, and a digestive disease that causes malabsorption and slows down my metabolism even further. i really want to buy a wii fit, but i’m sick sick sick of obsessing about each and every pound. i’ve been told that you can hide your weight from others, but what about hiding it from yourself? is that possible? i don’t even want to know my weight on the initial weigh in.

ANSWER:
You can’t hide yourself from yourself. A weight is just a number.

Just think the average weight is twice your weight to comfort yourself.

QUESTION:
Losing weight with hypothyroidism, HELP!?
I am a 250 lb 18-year old girl. I have just been diagnosed with autoimmune thyroid disease, also known as Hashimoto’s Disease, which in turn led to me developing insulin resistance and hypothyroidism. I am eating low-carb, low-fat, cutting out sweets and sodas, and doing an hour of racquetball at LEAST 4 days a week. I am also on Metformin and Levothyroxine to help regulate my insulin and hormones. I tried Hydroxycut in addition to my diet and exercise, but to no avail. The scale has not budged in nearly three weeks. What else can I do? Why am I failing?
Also, I’d appreciate you not peddling your disgusting diet pills to me. I’m interested in a lifestyle change, not a quick fix that gives me a heart attack. (:

ANSWER:
Hi, I have Hashimotos Disease as well. It’s more common than you realise. Alot of people have variations of this such as Graves Disease. It is controlled with the Thyroxin you are taking daily.
Although the Thyroxin should be combatting this directly to help you lose weight – you and me both know it doesn’t.
With research I have found that if you can get some iodine into your diet, it will help. This is in fish and seaweed.
Coconut also contains an enzyme which assists with the function of the thyroid. So try to have coconut on deserts/meals when you can. I know, not an easy ingredient to add.
Also, cut out red meat – you don’t have the digestive abilities to obtain all the nutrional elements anyway but you will certainly obtain all the fats.
Also remember your 5 fruits and vegetables per day. This should be taking up the majority of your foods. Its actually really hard to fit in 5 fruits and vegetables. But this means you need to replace other foods with these healthy alternatives.

Your body may take some time to give in and let the fat burn, so do persevere, when it starts happening, you will start to lose weight easily as you’ve done the hard yards. But most importantly, be realistic in your diet and exercise. After all the dieting, you wont be able to keep up a diet of starvation and an overexcercising routine. And you’ll put it all back on.

Good luck.

QUESTION:
Do I have an autoimmune disease?
I AM 29 YEARS OLD WITH A FAMILY HISTORY OF AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES.(SARCOIDOSIS, REYNOLDS,CHRONES,RA ETC.) I FOUND OUT RECENTLY THAT I HAVE A THYROID PROBLEM. THE DOCTOR OVER MEDICATED ME CAUSING MY FT4 TO ELEVATE. DURING THAT TIME I HAD BODY ACHES (FELT LIKE THE FLU WITH OUT THE FEVER AND SNEEZING). I NOTICE I KEPT DROPPING EVERYTHING. I DECIDED TO DO A ANA TEST. IT TURNED UP POSITIVE NUCLEOLAR PATTER 1:320 WITH SOME CYTOPLASMIC STAINING. MY THYROID IS LOWERED WITH THE SAME SYMPTOMS. I HAVE A ESR OF 105. I WANT TO GO TO THE DOCTOR BUT FEAR THAT I WILL BE WASTING MY TIME. ON THE OTHER HAND I WONDER IF I MAY HAVE A AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE.

ANSWER:
With a family history of autoimmune diseases, it is best to be checked out by a medical specialist. If you are leery about returning to your doctor, than find another physician that specializes in Endocrinology (the study of the chemicals/hormones in the body.) With test results as you specified, make sure you take your records when you schedule a consultation with the specialist.

QUESTION:
Help with Blood test results?
So 2 weeks ago I went into the doctor and was tested for lupus, autoimmune thyroid disease and was also asked to get an HIV test just to rule it out. I was told by the nurse in the lab that the results should come back in 2-3 day and that they would call me. The office is a private office and they run all blood work in the same building. It is going on 2 weeks and nobody has called. I have tried calling and leaving messages and no one returns my phone call. I called the lab today and was told my result have been there and they could mall me my results but could not tell me because she’s not the doctor. I have had blood taken in the past and I always get my results within 3 days tops. Do you think if I had anything serious like HIV they would have called asap. I mean it’s their job to tell me these things. Or have the local health department tell me. Any input would be great thanks.

ANSWER:

QUESTION:
Is this forgetfulness normal?
Lately I noticed that I’ve become a lot more forgetful like I’d go upstairs & forget why I intended to go upstairs or go out and forget where I wanted to go. Also like today, I actually forgot my own phone number & had a lot of trouble driving to my intended location because I didn’t remember how to get there even when I’ve been there hundreds of times. I’m only 17 years old, but I do have autoimmune thyroid disease so I don’t know if it’s due to that or something else or if it’s normal forgetfulness. Any information/insight would be helpful.

ANSWER:
I’m in a very similar situation. I have Graves Disease and have experienced similar memory problems. Keep track of date and time of each occurrence, include ANY kind stressful life situations that happen to be occurring at the same time. Take this to your endocrinologist and get your TSH T3&T4 levels checked.
Thyroid disease can cause, or just exacerbate, depression, stress, anxiety, and memory loss. Take this seriously, but don’t freak out, work with your Dr. I am sure that they have a plan to treat your thyroid problem, but they can also recommend ways to manage this symptoms.
CALL YOUR Doctor;-}

QUESTION:
Should an antibody thyroid test be run more than once if found negative?
HI,
My Endrochronologist will not run a antibody thyroid test because she said she ran one two years ago and it was normal.
Can the results change since then . . especially since I am hyporthyroid and also have other autoimmune diseases like Pernicious anemia and Sjrogens?

Thank you,
Sue

ANSWER:
Absolutely it can change…mine tested negative 6 months before my positive result. Plus, I’ve heard that once you get one autoimmune disease you will get others. See a new endo.

QUESTION:
need help for my 17 year old?
In the last 2 years my youngest daughter has really had a bad time. First she finds out that she has a spot on her right side of her brain then she starts having bad migraines, then she was getting strip throat all the time, they did surgery on her back in Nov. and she started doing better with that but was still having the migraines and about 3 weeks ago she finds out that she has autoimmune thyroid disease and then she fines out that she has a iron problem. I wanting to do something special for her because I think she deserves it[ cause she tries hard not to let it get her down and she stills does really good in school], but I lost my job 8 months I really can’t afford to can some one help me to do something nice for her.

ANSWER:
You wonderful dad! Okay, is there something cool she’d like that I could send from England? I suffer from chronic illness myself and a friend in Texas (who I met on the net!) took a risk and sent me a whole bunch of stuff and you know what, it cheered me up no end. I’d love to do that for someone else.

Just message me via the thingy if you think of anything I can do.

Good luck anyway, you sound like an amazing dad. Wish you both well.

QUESTION:
Why after you miss several days at work people accost you for details?
Ive missed four days and I dont really know what to say Ive had horrible body aches and been exhausted similiar to mono.I dont want to tell people that it sounds stupid. Ive had it before and the doctor basically says its probly connected to my autoimmune Thyroid disease and that I have a low immune system.People at work are so rude they ask where have you been?.What happened to you?Every time they see me take a pain pill they ask me whats wrong with me. I dont normally miss this much work but Ive been wiped out. Im dreading tommorow because I know Ill get a bunch questions not from freinds which I can deal with but with nosy coworkers.There are about 50 of them.
I do try to be discreet but one day I bought some aleve from the machine in the break room and this old guy was saying whats wrong with you ?why are you taking pills?

ANSWER:
Do you work with me?! I have the same problem.

People think I am their entertainment or something. It’s extremely rude to ask where you were. I find it’s always the gossipers that never call in and brag about it. They come in sick, get me sick, and I call in when I’m sick.

Depending on your relationships with them, here’s some different things I’ve said:

Or, if I don’t like them, I’ll tell them something totally extreme (biopsy) and see how long it takes to get back to me, then I deny it. I hate most of my co workers, so this is okay.

Be more discreet when taking pain pills. They already think you’re a hypocondriac and that just fuels the fire that you’re a drug addict. Everyone’s a friggin’ doctor, huh?

QUESTION:
I want to know if I am considered disabled in anyway?
I not wanting disability.I want to work but I really struggle.I have schizophrenia and I take meds and discalcula so I am having so much trouble with my Ged. I need it to get a better job because the factory I work at is really hard work at times.I have hashimotos which is autoimmune thyroid disease.I get run down easily and the place I work at is kept so cold its miserable. Would any of these things make me eligable for any programs that might help me get a better job? Or my Ged.Ive already gone to classes for a while and the teachers dont know how to deal with discalcula.I cant retain the math and forget it so easily.Or actually dont understand the steps no matter how much they exsplain.Any info?programs?

ANSWER:
It sounds to me that you are in more ways than one. You said you did’nt want disability right? Get a hold of the Social Security Administration 1(800)772-1213. They might have you apply for SSI. Also your state should have a vocational rehab agency which can help train you and find you accomodating employment. They can also get you a tutor to help with your GED.

QUESTION:
Does Insulin Resistance or too much insulin in the bloodstream make you fat?
I’m going to be doing some blood tests to see why I’m thirsty and peeing all the time. In the meantime, the doctor told me to read up on Diabetes Insipidus, Diabetes Mellitus and even Psychogenic Polydipsia.

I’m 46 and have always been very active. I lift weights and run about 25 – 30 miles per week. I’ve been experiencing CRAZY thirst since July and I’ve also noticed that I’ve been getting fat around the middle. My diet hasn’t changed (if anything, sometimes I don’t think I eat enough). No one in my family has diabetes, although I have an autoimmune thyroid disease.

I suppose that the belly fat can also be attributed to middle-age spread, but I’m not overweight. I don’t know yet if I have some type of diabetes, but I’m wondering if the belly fat, in addition to the increased thirst and the frequent peeing points to a diabetes diagnosis?

PS It didn’t occur to me to mention the belly fat to my new doctor when I saw him a week ago. I guess I’ll mention it when I see him for the blood test results. I’d sure appreaciate some comments from anyone who’s experienced something similar.

Thanks!!
I should also add that I’ve been having leg pain/muscle cramps which I also didn’t mention to the doctor because I just assumed they were musculoskeletal related (maybe running related).

Insulin resistance causes weight gain.Weight gain, fat storage, difficulty losing weight – for most people, excess weight is from high fat storage; the fat in IR is generally stored in and around abdominal organs in both males and females. It is currently suspected that hormone production in that fat are a precipitating cause of insulin resistance

Primary polydipsia or psychogenic polydipsia is a special form of polydipsia. It is usually associated with a patient’s increasing fluid intake due to the sensation of having a dry mouth.

When the term “psychogenic polydipsia” is used, it implies that the condition is caused by mental disorders. However, the dry mouth is often due to phenothiazine medications used in some mental disorders, rather than the underlying condition.Psychogenic polydipsia is a type of polydypsia described in patients with mental illnesses and/or the developmentally disabled. It is present in a subset of people with schizophrenia. These patients, most often with a long history of illness, exhibit enlarged ventricles and shrunken cortex on MRI, making the physiological mechanism difficult to isolate from the psychogenic. It is a serious disorder and often leads to institutionalization as it can be very difficult to manage outside the inpatient setting. It should be taken very seriously – it can be life threatening as serum sodium is diluted to an extent that seizures and cardiac arrest can occur. Patients have been known to seek fluids from any source possible.

Leg muscle cramps, particularly at night, is a classic sign of undiagnosed diabetes.

You could also buy a Glucometer at walmart for and test yourself for Diabetes.

Diabetes Insipidus is divided into four types, each of which has a different cause and must be treated differently. The most common type of DI is caused by a lack of vasopressin, a hormone that normally acts upon the kidney to reduce urine output by increasing the concentration of the urine.

Take care

Tin

QUESTION:
i have an underactive thyroid and may have vitiligo, i feel my immune system has taken a bashing. help!?
9 years ago i was diagnosed with an underactive thyroid, and now i take 150mcg a day. last summer i started to get white patches on my skin, and ended up going to see the doc, i was told i might have vitilgo, which after the shock of having another autoimmune disease, i got on and started to take the meds. but i still have to wait for the summer to come, before they diagnose me with it, [to see if patches come back]. i was just wondering if the more auto immune diseases you have, does it affect the way your immune system works. or stop it working aswell, any ideas of boosting it up?
apart from vit c and echineaca?

ANSWER:
well would you believe i have under active thyroid diagnosed two years ago I’m on 100 mcg levothyroidoxine a day also last summer had white patches on my neck and torso after being on hols, doctor said it was vitilgo and there was no treatment so just keep out of the sun not for it to be so noticeable. i would like to know what meds you have for this? Ive taken echineaca from time to time but don’t think it helps that much.

QUESTION:
Does having an autoimmune disease increase your chances of getting sick?
I have hashimoto’s disease (an autoimmune disease) and am being treated. My thyroid and some nodes were taken out two years ago. I am a healthy person. I eat well, exercise, sleep and drink plenty of water- and I don’t lick handrails or anything but I keep getting sick. The last three months I have had pneumonia, digestive fungus and strep throat. I am a stay at home mom to young (not school aged) kids. I can’t figure out why I keep getting so sick. Does the autoimmune disease, although being treated, make me more likely to get sick? I am the only one in the house that is getting sick. The kids don’t even pick up the bugs from me.
I see my Doctor every six months and have my levels checked every six-eight weeks so my drugs are being managed perfectly.

ANSWER:
First of all there is no such thing as an autoimmune disease. The body does not just attack itself for no reason. INFECTION is the key. You need to find the source of the infection in your body that is causing the problem. ALL infection(s) deplete the body of it’s minerals and iodine is a mineral. Removing thyroid nodes is treating a symptom, not getting to the root cause of what is creating the problem. That is a bandaid. Many thyroid problems like this come from bad dental work or infections in the teeth. NICO (neuralgia induced cavitational osteonecrosis) is one of the most common things causing biofilms to be produced and infections to rage with NO PAIN this kind of problem is rampant in the U.S. today. Root canals done to the “Standard of Care dentistry” is to blame for a lot of this. Interference fields from any scar, trauma, tattoo, piercing, surgery, etc. can reflex to the thyroid making it weak and a victim creating this problem. Since the thyroid is a part of the pituitary axis, when any of the four glands become insufficient for any reason, they all get sick together and your symptoms may be obvious with the thyroid, but not so obvious in the other glands that include: thyroid, adrenals, ovaries, and pituitary. Also, something that is not well understood by endocrinologists is that the parathyroid may be insufficient or have a low grade infection causing the hashimoto’s.

There are many things you need to be doing to support good immunity that doctors have no clue how to approach. Nutritional help can greatly help you and you should seek out a certified nutritional therapist that can work with you and possibly your doctor if he is open to that to solve your problem.

On the surface of what you have described, you could have excess Candida albicans causing many of these problems in combination with low minerals and endocrine problems due to a high carb, low fat diet.

good luck to you

QUESTION:
what is this disease symptoms on thyroid?
diffuse enlargement of thyroid ,goiter multiple nodules autoimmune hypothoroid now i have a thyroid storm what disease is this as the doctors are assuming this thyroiditis 2 weeks ago specialist sent me to have biospy as this ultrasound showed i have thyroid storm so they sent me to see a surgeon and do still not have any answers so i still dont know how dangerous this is so please can you please answer some of these questions as i am quite confused

ANSWER:
Goiter (swollen thyroid) and nodules are generally caused by iodine deficiency. If iodine deficiency is left unaddressed for too long, sometimes problems with the thyroid can result.

From the description you provided, it sounds like Hashimotos Thyroiditis.
Here is an article that talks about Hashis:

http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/hashimotos

If you are in a “thyroid storm” (severe over production of thyroid hormones), there are supplements to take which might calm your thyroid down. One of them is an over the counter supplement called
L-Carnatine. But please read the above article first.

They sent you to a surgeon? Uh-oh. Please remember that the thyroid is one of the most important glands in the body. Loosing the thyroid will alter a person’ health and life forever, and not in a good way. http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/thyroidless It is always best to try and repair the underlying cause of a problem.

I hope the info I have provided helps you.

QUESTION:
autoimmune questions (regarding my health)?
I was diagnosed at age 31 with Graves Disease. The symptoms came on suddenly and severely. I was put on the medications used for Graves Disease and also the symptoms the Graves Disease was causing such as high blood pressure. Then I started getting severe hives to the point of having to be rushed to the ER because they were in my throat.

Three endocrinologists later it was determined by the majority that I was allergic to the Graves Disease medication and I should get radioactive iodine to destroy my thyroid. I was told that my increased heart rate, increased blood pressure etc. was life-threatening so I consented to the RAI.

I am now 35 years old and the journy to finding out exactly what is wrong with me continues. My thyroid eventually bottomed out after receiving the RAI, so I had all of those symptoms. I am currently on Synthroid 175 MCG. Then I was diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome. Then I developed insulin resistance. I am now on Janumet to control the insulin resistance. Last year I developed severe chronic anemia and had to get 9 rounds of IV iron infusions. For the last two years I have been going to my endocrinologist every three months because something always goes wrong. I had a bout of severe intestinal distress and kept nothing down for three weeks and celiac disease was ruled out by and colonoscopy. Between April and today I have lost 40 pounds. My latest round of blood work shows that I have diabetes insepidus (sp) which is caused by a malfunctioning pituitary gland. I also have a chronic UTI infection for the last four months, increased white blood count in my urine, chronic fatigue, horrible moods, achy joints and bones, and a general feeling of being confused and aggitated.

Anyone have any clues as to what I should do next? the endocrinologist ran some kind of blood work panel – -I believe called and ADH panel and I will get it back next week and then he wants to send me for an MRI. It was also shown that my thyroid is now overactive again even though technically I am not supposed to have a thyroid.

What are other options or other tests I should ask for. The doctors seem so confused with what is going on with me because with regard to the autoimmune diseases it is confusing. The third endocrinologist I have been seeing came highly recommended because he is used as an expert witness related to autoimmune disorderes in court cases.

Thanks for any help or guidance.

ANSWER:
This sounds like a case study that I had in gross anatomy. I am not a doctor but I have several med school classes and several classes associated with immunology. In the case that I had the 40 year old woman had a small tumor on her pituitary gland and she was being treated for graves disease, thyroid problems, and was having issues associated with diabetes. I would recommend that you seek the advice of an oncologist or rhumitologist (dont know if this is the correct spelling). If by chance it turns out to be a tumor on your pituitary gland the surgery to remove it is a fairly simple and effective surgery. I wish I could be of more help, but maybe this will give you something to check in to. I wish you the best and hope they can get it figured out.

QUESTION:
is tehre a cure for HASHIMOTOTS THYROIDITIS a AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE?
HOW DO I STPI MY IMMUNE SYSTEM FROM ATTACKING MY THYROID GLAND WHAT HERBS PILLS ANYTHING REMEDIES CAN HELP PLEASE??????????????
yes i was find when i was born this barely started a few years ago and yes i eat tons of FAST FOOD JUNK FOOD I THINK YOU HAVE A HUGE POINT

ANSWER:
go to a local homeopath and discuss with doctor your condition and ask about these medicines

Nat Mur 1M weekly 1 dose

Thyr 3x 3-3-3 daily

QUESTION:
Hi just sharing my thyroid problems to see if someone had same experience and outcome.?
I had a blood test about 6 months ago which showed slighlty elevated T4, and normal TSH, pathologist suggested repeating blood test 4 – 6 weeks later.

However not many symptoms apart from not sleeping well, and shaky hands (Have had shaky hands for years though, so not sure if its because of this).
Feeling unusually hot and moody. Doctor did not prescribe any meds, didnt think i needed them. (I didnt either, sysmptoms were not too bad). He did give me a form to get blood test done around end of may. (symptoms still the same in may, not too bad, so didnt do blood test)

Went to see other doctor, around early August, because my symptoms were getting a little worse. (By the way both docs are not endocrinologists). I told him the story so far, and he thought I should take meds for a week and see how i felt. He prescribed Neo-Mercazole – 5mg twice daily. ( I didn’t buy them, so still taking no meds at this time) He asked me to show him my blood test request i got from the first doctor, and he added a test to check for thyroid antibodies.

Still I thought I would wait and see if everything went back to normal, so left it till the 17th of this month (Oct – 2011) Yesterday to do third blood test. My symptoms have progressively got worsew.
Feeling hot almost every day, trouble concentrating sometimes, sleep is crap, more moody than before, still shaky hands (not very bad though), eys sometimes feel irritated and sting a little (havnt noticed any swelling, just irritated eyes), just an overall feeling of disconfort)

Got my results today:
TSH normal – 0.66 Range (0.50-4.00) Previous test in april was 0.16
Doc didnt check for T4, or T3 levels this time though???? Dnt know why??? Would ve thought he would want tpo check them again to compare.

Pathologist said these are markers for autoimmune diseases like Hashimotos and Graves disease. However they are also detected in healthy people.

So my symptoms are getting a little worse, tests are very inconclusive!! and no T4 or T3 levels tested this time.

Should I start on the neo-mercazole? I bought them today before i got my results because i was sure that my hormone levels would be high, but doc only tested for TSH.

Very long story I know, but thought that i need to put the whole story to give a better picture of what has been happening so far.

Hoipe someone out there has had a similar thing happen to them, any suggestions stories would be appreciated.

Thanks in advanced.

ANSWER:
Find a doctor who can say ‘you have Hashimotos’. TSH ‘norm’ should be .3 – 3 (w/ most feeling best at < 2) but, for diagnosis, would not matter if ANTIBODIES are present. Indicative of Hashimoto’s Autoimmune Thyroiditis (cycles between hyper & hypo at start)…main cause of HypOthyroid & is worse (...OR Graves Disease - HypERthyroid).

WARNING: Doctors seem not to want to find/treat thyroid disease. You may have to go to more than one doctor before you get the right tests, interpretation, and treatment. Best wishes.

I bet you didn’t know that underactive thyroid disease (hypothyroid) in most cases is reversible? It’s true, and the best of all is you don’t actually have to take any drugs to reverse the problem.

It is always advisable to consult your doctor before you try any alternative remedies and most of them will be open to natural methods before prescribing any drugs. If they are simply not open to these alternatives I would consider changing your doctor!

There are some common symptoms that come with hypothyroid. Some of the most common are depression, extreme weight gain, fatigue, short term memory loss, body aches and pains and skin problems (including dryness and itchiness).

A natural solution to your thyroid problem simply is your diet. Everything you need is in the local grocery or supermarket…right on your doorstep!

Just like any diet plan there are foods that will help your situation, and foods to avoid that will just make things worse. The foods you need to be eating should be high in vitamins and minerals and those that provide you with a lot of energy. This will increase your metabolism, the reverse of underactive thyroid disease, and naturally burn fat and lose weight.

You need to remember that weight loss, no matter who you are or what your situation, requires dedication. You need to stick to your chosen diet plan and exercise regular.

Frequently Asked Questions

QUESTION:
Hypothyroidism caused by Autoimmune disease?
My question is weird. I was brought up by a mother who’s over obsessive with health issues so now I have no real idea of what is serious and what’s not.

I have previous history of hypothyroidism as caused by autoimmune disease. I am a single mother, full time student and a part-time worker. I barely have time to sleep let alone go to the doctor for a checkup. I need to know how serious this things is and if my symptoms are part of the disease or I’m most likely very stressed

my symptoms:
1. the thyroid is so big you can see it when I’m standing straight (it kind hangs out a bit)
2. I’m constantly tired
3. period is very irregular
4. Gain weight EXTREMELY easily (my metabolism is extremely slow)
5. nervous system goes haywire all the time
6. lack of sleep
7. constipation sometimes
8. Slow thought process – I’m studying International Business and it’s a very competitive program and I know I’m not dumb but I do notice that to calculate something it takes me much longer than it used to. not because I can’t think of an answer, but because i just can’t think. I don’t know how to explain this. sorry

I know that you wont’ have a medical advice but if someone ha previous experience with a similar disease and can guide me in the right direction that would be great!

ANSWER:
You have Hasimoto’s Thyroiditis. You should get on Levothyroxine which could be prescribed by your internal med. doctor, or an endocrinologist. Once your levels are stable, all your symptoms should get better.

QUESTION:
Could i have an autoimmune disease?
I was diagnosed as suffering from hypothyroidism (extremely underactive thyroid) in march and im still going through the process of getting my medication balance right, i believe its just about at the right level now but blood tests later this month will confirm hopefully. The docs think it was triggered as a result of my pregnancy (had my baby Nov 09) as the times tally up for symptoms etc. Lately though ive been catching many infections, especially in the last week ive had a urine infection, severe conjuctivitis and now i really think ive got a throat infection too, as well as a cold, my eyesight has deteriorated too which has led to me needing glasses as i have an astigmatism in one eye (which i know may not be connected) im just getting worried that there may be some underlying reason for all this, i know that an autoimmune disorder/disease can cause hypothyroidism, and the doctors told me my thyroid levels were at rock bottom, can anyone in medical career tell me if this could be the case please??

ANSWER:
Hypothyroid patients show up with vitamin B12, iron and vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D is essential as this steroid hormone activates the immune system. Child­birth can be a hor­mo­nal trig­ger for Hashimoto’s Disease and autoimmune pernicious anaemia is linked to this condition..unable to absorb vitamin B12 in the digestive tract. Vitamin B12 is essential to protect the myelin sheath (covering around the nerves) from damage. Blindness, double vision and blurred vision is a few of the many symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency.

I personally have autoimmune pernicious anaemia and i take under the tongue B12 spray daily. You haven’t mentioned any other symptoms so it may not be from this but it cannot hurt to check. Autoimmune pernicious anaemia is confirmed with a positive instrinsic factor and/or parietal cell antibody test. The first link is the recommended blood tests for anyone suffering hypothyroidism and what results to look for.

QUESTION:
Do I have a thyroid or autoimmune condition?
I’ve been having some seemingly minor health-related issues recently and I was wondering if these are indications of some kind of thyroid disease. I’m a 19 year old ethnically Chinese male born and raised in the USA.

I think I might have developed a mild case of Hives. It started around 1/3/11 and I get occasionally itchy around my legs arms back or chest which is followed by minor, small red bumps. It persists off and on daily usually in the morning/afternoon, but it isn’t too disruptive to everyday life. When I was maybe around 13, I also developed a case of shingles that went away after going to the doctor and taking meds.
I might also have some kind of Angioedema. It usually is just a raised bump under my eye about an inch and a half long when it occurs and goes away usually overnight. These started happening fairly infrequently maybe 6 months and might have happened on three or so occasions.
I’ve also developed a minor left eye twitch in the past 6 weeks or so. I’m not sure if this is at all related to the other issues.
My dad developed thyroid disease (I think hypothyroidism) sometime in his early-mid 20s which obviously raises my chances of having it.

Other than these symptoms, I don’t particularly identify with any of the common hypo or hyperthyroidism symptoms.

Finally, I should also note I took the quarter off from college to do some independent travelling in the Middle East and do some volunteer microfinance work in Uganda, so finding adequate healthcare might be an issue for me if there is indeed an imminent problem.
I’m still in Israel and have yet to travel to Uganda.

ANSWER:
Sounds like you have a significant Allergic history but not thyroid related. Know what you are allergic to and monitor your thyroid (TSH) levels with your doc every year. High TSH = hypothyroid. Low TSH = hyperthyroid. Good luck.

Okay, so I’m 23 years old and was diagnosed with Pernicious Anemia, which is an autoimmune disease that attacks the instrinsic factor in my body. This means that my body won’t let me absorb Vitamin B12, which you know.. is pretty important.

Well, before I found out what was wrong with me, I slept, like,12-16 hours a day. I COULD NOT make myself get out of bed. See, I also have thyroid disease (Hypothyroidism), which is another autoimmune disease. My doctor would always blame it on my thyroid, even when my levels were normal (and she never checked my b12 levels…A neurologist did).

Anyways, when I found out I had the B12 deficiency, I had to take an injection once a week, for four weeks… and then once a month (for the rest of my life) after that.

Well, after I took the first four injections, I felt amazing! I was actually getting up early, sleeping 6-8 hours a night. It was wonderful!

But, when I got to the 3rd week (the week before I needed my next injection), I started feeling bad again. Started sleeping those 12 hours again.. and everything.

So, I waited it out and got my shot at my 1 month mark, and that was like 3 days ago…
Well, I STILL feel terrible!!

So, my question is… Am I still supposed to feel like this? And, if it doesn’t go away, would it be okay to take my injection sooner than 1 month?
OR, could there be something else wrong with me?

Thanks in advance for the answers!!

ANSWER:
It’s quite possible that the results of the first two shots (I feel great!) were placebo effect – and that by the time the next ones we given you had ‘snapped to reality’.

See, B12 shots aren’t supposed to make you feel all bright eyed and bushy tailed, any excess you get isn’t gonna give you vim and vigor – you’ll pee it out. They are supposed to give you enough to let your body functions return to ‘normal’ – and in your case, because of the thyroid issue, your normal isn’t all that great.

I’m not knocking the placebo effect, it’s great medicine, and medicine has a really difficult time summonsing it – but, it’s almost always temporary.

I’m going to second the suggestion for an endocrinologist and rheumatologist. GP’s can handle a lot of thyroid issues, but when it’s autoimmune in the young, I would prefer they see the guys who know those the best.

Okay, so I’m 23 years old and was diagnosed with Pernicious Anemia, which is an autoimmune disease that attacks the instrinsic factor in my body. This means that my body won’t let me absorb Vitamin B12, which you know.. is pretty important.

Well, before I found out what was wrong with me, I slept, like,12-16 hours a day. I COULD NOT make myself get out of bed. See, I also have thyroid disease (Hypothyroidism), which is another autoimmune disease. My doctor would always blame it on my thyroid, even when my levels were normal (and she never checked my b12 levels…A neurologist did).

Anyways, when I found out I had the B12 deficiency, I had to take an injection once a week, for four weeks… and then once a month (for the rest of my life) after that.

Well, after I took the first four injections, I felt amazing! I was actually getting up early, sleeping 6-8 hours a night. It was wonderful!

But, when I got to the 3rd week (the week before I needed my next injection), I started feeling bad again. Started sleeping those 12 hours again.. and everything.

So, I waited it out and got my shot at my 1 month mark, and that was like 3 days ago…
Well, I STILL feel terrible!!

So, my question is… Am I still supposed to feel like this? And, if it doesn’t go away, would it be okay to take my injection sooner than 1 month?
OR, could there be something else wrong with me?

Thanks in advance for the answers!!

ANSWER:
This is very common and you should ask for more frequent injections. You also need to make sure you have a good folate level, preferably up at the high normal end of the scale so ask what your folate level is and, if it is no more than low normal, ask for a 5mg folic acid supplement for a few months and you will most likely need to stay permanently on some level of folic acid to ensure you are able to metabolise the injected B12. You cannot overdose on B12 and there are some of us who are on injections several times a week permanently.

QUESTION:
Losing weight with hypothyroidism, HELP!?
I am a 250 lb 18-year old girl. I have just been diagnosed with autoimmune thyroid disease, also known as Hashimoto’s Disease, which in turn led to me developing insulin resistance and hypothyroidism. I am eating low-carb, low-fat, cutting out sweets and sodas, and doing an hour of racquetball at LEAST 4 days a week. I am also on Metformin and Levothyroxine to help regulate my insulin and hormones. I tried Hydroxycut in addition to my diet and exercise, but to no avail. The scale has not budged in nearly three weeks. What else can I do? Why am I failing?
Also, I’d appreciate you not peddling your disgusting diet pills to me. I’m interested in a lifestyle change, not a quick fix that gives me a heart attack. (:

ANSWER:
Hi, I have Hashimotos Disease as well. It’s more common than you realise. Alot of people have variations of this such as Graves Disease. It is controlled with the Thyroxin you are taking daily.
Although the Thyroxin should be combatting this directly to help you lose weight – you and me both know it doesn’t.
With research I have found that if you can get some iodine into your diet, it will help. This is in fish and seaweed.
Coconut also contains an enzyme which assists with the function of the thyroid. So try to have coconut on deserts/meals when you can. I know, not an easy ingredient to add.
Also, cut out red meat – you don’t have the digestive abilities to obtain all the nutrional elements anyway but you will certainly obtain all the fats.
Also remember your 5 fruits and vegetables per day. This should be taking up the majority of your foods. Its actually really hard to fit in 5 fruits and vegetables. But this means you need to replace other foods with these healthy alternatives.

Your body may take some time to give in and let the fat burn, so do persevere, when it starts happening, you will start to lose weight easily as you’ve done the hard yards. But most importantly, be realistic in your diet and exercise. After all the dieting, you wont be able to keep up a diet of starvation and an overexcercising routine. And you’ll put it all back on.

Okay, so I’m 23 years old and was diagnosed with Pernicious Anemia, which is an autoimmune disease that attacks the instrinsic factor in my body. This means that my body won’t let me absorb Vitamin B12, which you know.. is pretty important.

Well, before I found out what was wrong with me, I slept, like,12-16 hours a day. I COULD NOT make myself get out of bed. See, I also have thyroid disease (Hypothyroidism) and my doctor would
always blame it on that, even when my levels were normal.

Anyways, when I found out I had the B12 deficiency, I had to take an injection once a week, for four weeks… and then once a month (for the rest of my life) after that.

Well, after I took the first four injections, I felt amazing! I was actually getting up early, sleeping 6-8 hours a night. It was wonderful!

But, when I got to the 3rd week (the week before I needed my next injection), I started feeling bad again. Started sleeping those 12 hours again.. and everything.

So, I waited it out and got my shot at my 1 month mark, and that was like 3 days ago…
Well, I STILL feel terrible!!

So, my question is… Am I still supposed to feel like this? And, if it doesn’t go away, would it be okay to take my injection sooner than 1 month?

Thanks in advance for the answers!!

ANSWER:
It’s possible that you were coming down with a cold or have some sort of viral infection at the moment which is causing you to be tired.

Have you been tested for Celiac Disease? It’s also an autoimmune disease. Once you have one autoimmune disease, like hypothyroidism, you’re more likely to have another autoimmune disease. Celiac Disease can cause deficiencies in vitamins and minerals if it’s not treated. I had a b12 and foliate deficiency before I was diagnosed. My levels stayed low until I went on a gluten free diet. I had the injections and they didn’t help.

You could ask your doctor to re-test your levels.

It’d be fine to take the injection sooner, but it may not address the cause of your fatigue.

Good luck.

….

QUESTION:
Can you get pregnant while having autoimmune disease?
Since September of last year, my husband and I have been trying to conceive a child. No luck yet. I found out in March of this year that I had a large nodule which they thought was malignant on my thyroid. I always knew I had hypothyroidism but never took medication. They had to remove the right lobe of my thyroid along with the nodule in April. It was not cancerous but they tell me I have an autoimmune disease Hashimotos. I have been reading up on it and find different answers and explanations but what I want to know are my chances for conceiving a child. I am on Synthroid and for some reason the doctor will not let me take the generic brand. I am guessing it is so he can get it regulated and then maybe he will allow generic. I started off at 50 mcg and now he has increased me to 100 mcg. I’m still not feeling any real difference yet but I go back to him again in a few weeks. Anybody have any thoughts or ideas?

ANSWER:
It sounds like there are no guarantees to anything here, but I found some informative articles.

You might want to contact a fertility clinic if you are serious about having your own child but keep in mind there are more risks for both you and the child, with your condition.

Good luck

QUESTION:
Hypothyroidism and another..?
I have Hypothyroidism, have been diagnosed for almost 4 yrs now. Im not sure if I have an autoimmune disease as well. My thyroid has been enlarged no matter what dosage I’m on. They did an ultrasound and found 3 nodules. The Dr. I’m seeing has put my Levothyroxine all the way down to 100mcg even though I was on 150mcg. Before my 2nd pregnancy I had gone all the way up to 145mcg and of course it had to go up during pregnancy, but the 145mcg was pretty close to what I needed not prego. Why would she down it like that? I’m exhausted and in need of a blood draw, I can tell when I need a higher dose. She lowered my prescription because of insomnia and incredibly painful and out of control dandruff. I also have athletes foot on 1 foot that wont go away. Could this be related? I was going to have biopsy on nodules but long story short they didn’t and I do need 1. My new insurance wont cover pre existings until August. My question is, any of you have this? What have you done about it?
Oh and I attend a sliding scale Clinic right now, where I’ve asked questions and they don’t really get answered. I’m looking to find another Dr. here come August when my insurance will cover me.

ANSWER:
I am hypothyroid and take 200mcg of thyroxine. At one stage I was on 300mcg!

This is an autoimmune disease and my experience is (please note this is only my experience) that this led on to other autoimmune diseases.

I have found that the thyroid problems affects my hair in that it falls out in great big clumps at times, but no dandruff and no athletes foot.

You have to bear in mind though, that if you are not getting enough thyroxine, you body will not be able to repair itself adequately.

I would suggest that you look up yourself on the internet or wherever what the normal levels are for TSH, T3 and T4. These are the blood tests they use to determine whether your thyroxine is working adequately. They normally use TSH but the others are worth understanding and being aware of normal levels. You should then check with your GP what your TSH level was on your last test. If it fell below the normal level they were right to lower your thyroxine because you can become overactive – thryroid.

You have to take responsibility for understanding your condition and knowing what normal levels are. Then you have to take responsibility for asking for your results each time you are tested. This is the only way you can know for certain that all your test results are being acted on properly.

If you are still tired and all your levels seem good on the thyroxine you are taking – you need to look at other things.

I am currently being investigated for celiac disease an autoimmune disease that affects the intestine and means that you have an intolerance to gluten. This is easily treatable by eating the correct food – without gluten.

However, one of the many side effects is severe tiredness and exhaustion.

So, I recommend you fully get involved in your treatment and your thyroid results. If all this seems in order, try to look at other things that may be causing symptoms and check it out with your GP.

Good luck!

QUESTION:
What connections are there between hypothyroidism and sinus problems?
My son has been diagnosed with HSP and, as a result, kidney disease. It is believed that some autoimmune disorder is the cause. He takes prednisone and still suffers illness from coughing and sinus congestion. I have hypothyroidism and was wondering if this might be the cause for his problems as well. His thyroid tests came back on the low side of normal range which mine did as well. They treated me anyway. Please help.
Please note that I do not feel that my hypothyroidism is like a virus attacking his body. I want to know if he might have hypothyroidism. I know that my condition is not contagious.

ANSWER:
I don’t think that you having hypothyroidism is the cause for your son’s Henoch-Schloin Purpura. True, both hypothyroidism and HSP have an autoimmune cause, but I don’t think that your hypothyroidism is causing your son’s sinus problems directly. You can ask your doctor to provide you with more literature and maybe do some searches yourself. Hope this helps.

QUESTION:
Hypothyroidism question for experts.?
Why would my ANA ( antinuclear antibodies, an autoimmune disease) be negative, yet my thyroid peridoxase antibody test be so high, 221 with normal range being less than 35? This 221 shows I possibly have hoshimoto’s, but then why wouldn’t my ANA be positive if I have antibodies supposedly attacking my thyroid. Doesn’t make sense to me.

Do you have lupus by any chance? What is your TSH level? Free T4?
This can explain your high TPOAb levels: http://www.medicinenet.com/thyroid_peroxidase_test/article.htm

I’ll try to come up with more…I have to check my notes that are stored on my other computer from school a few yrs. ago.

Feel better!

P.S. Are you currently on any meds? Receiving any treatment or just newly diagnosed?

QUESTION:
can you have thyroid problems and normal levels ?
Please correct me if I’m wrong.
Free T4 is how much thyroid hormone my thyroid is producing ? (mine is .8 – on the low side of normal range)
TSH is what the hypothalmus is telling the pituitary to produce in order to stimulate the thyroid ? (mine is also .8 which is normal I guess) But, I have had many symptoms of hypothyroidism. My question is if you have an autoimmune disease like Hashimoto’s can you still have these “normal range” levels ? Also, I read it runs in families and my mom has hypothyroidism.

ANSWER:
You are at the low end of the “normal range”, and if you are experiencing symptoms of hypothyroid, you should demand to be put on a low dosage of synthroid or levoxyl (10-20 mcgs) because normal for one person might be a .8 while someone else needs to be 1-2 to feel well. Most endocrinologists like to see patients towards the middle of the range and will prescribe, especially in women because your thyroid function decreases with age. Because of your family history especially, you are a good candidate. I know that my TSH needs to be around 2 to feel good. Be sure that you get your TSH tested every 4-6 weeks initially to find the right dosage for you. It can be a long process in finding the right dosage and reaping the full benefits of medication, so be patient.

If your doctor doesn’t take you seriously, change doctors or ask for a second opinion. If you have a good HMO and are able to go directly to a specialist, see an endocrinologist. Endocrinologists specialize in endocrine diseases and I assure you will take your symptoms very seriously.

Another suggestion is to have an antibody test. If your antibodies are elevated, it could be Hashimoto’s causing hypothyroidism. Hashimoto’s causes antibodies to attach your thyroid. It’s rare, but the antibody test is the best way to diagnose if TSH doesn’t.

QUESTION:
KELP AND UNDERACTIVE THYROID?
I used to have autoimmune graves disease and went through Radio Active Iodine ablation…almost a yr back. then I became underactive and since then I am on synthetic thyroid hormone, my question is can I take kelp to reduce the weight I keep gaining ever since I had iodine ablation. Is it safe to take? I know I should consult my doctor first, but I just need to know if some one has tried it for weight loss resulted from hypothyroidism.

ANSWER:
You may require a dosage adjustment on your synthroid hormone, but in truth the kelp is just a source of iodine, and you are probably getting the RDA from your diet (salt is ubiquitous and is iodized). Kelp is not the magic bullet. Can you examine your diet and exercise patterns more closely and take appropriate action? That will be a greater help!

QUESTION:
what is wrong with my metabolism? hypothyroidism/hypituitary/celiac?
I’ve been listing out my symptoms and trying to decipher what is going on. Basically, I’m 15, I play tennis and exercise very often, I have an absolute health nut though I don’t usually have a problem with sweets, but I hardly eat them a lot. But it mainly happened over the tennis season in in just a few months, I went up from 135 to 153 lbs (I’m 5’9). Techniquely I’m still in healthy range, but really I don’t fit in anything right, I don’t feel good, and I’m certainly done puberty.

These are all my symptoms:
Change in stool softness (softer)
Sudden and unexplained weight gain
Joint Pain after exercising (which isn’t that unusual)
Irregular, getting heavier and longer and then light and short periods
Recurrent sinus infections, like this cough for 3 weeks
I feel the need to yawn to get oxygen
I feel cold sometimes at the wrong times
I have shortness of breath sometimes
I have unexplained nausea, especially in the mornings
I get tired right around eight thirty every night, I wake up early but as soon as it gets late I’m beat. Maybe I’m a morning person…

Also this would be important to note, my entire mother’s side of the family has celiac disease (an autoimmune disease where one cannot absorb gluten (wheat) and it causes a boatload of other autoimmune diseases). I was wondering the chances that I could have developed it. Nothing truamatizing has happened to me lately, besides a ton of stress from schoolwork.

So I’m wondering if I could have developed celiac? I know that it has been attributed to weight loss, but if it affected my thyroid it would have the opposite affect. My mother is getting me tested for hypothyroidism, but what about hypopituitary stuff? That would be a little more serious.

I’m healthy in a day, hardly passing 1200 calories but I’m not not eating, I just eat very healthy. I have oatmeal for breakfast, fruit for lunch, a snack probably fruit or a granola bar, and chicken breat usually for dinner. So I eat enough. But as soon as I eat too much my weight gain is incredible. 3000 calories=1 pound? I eat 2000 and I’ll gain 3.

Thank you so much for your help (: I would just like some real feedback before I’m questioned by my doctor this week.

ANSWER:

QUESTION:
could i have a thyroid problem?
I’m wondering why I’m not losing weight. You might be thinking (um, let’s see. Let me guess, you don’t exercise and you eat like crap), really that’s not the case. I play tennis, and I run 2 miles about two-three times a week. My average day consists of 2 eggs for breakfast, an apple, almonds, and veggies for lunch, banana and a few almonds for snack, an extremely light dinner of protein and veggies, and every now and then low fat frozen yogurt. Really, that’s it. I’m active. I play sports. I exercsie. Why can’t I lose weight?

I researched a little about thyroid problems. My family has Celiac Disease, and i have the gene, so that’s an autoimmune disesase. Most of the other symptoms don’t seem to affect me. I mean, I get really cold when it’s hot and hot when it’s cold. Thyroid disease does not run in my family but I do gain weight inappropriatley. I often have joint pain in my ankle, but it’s not really anything crazy. My menstrual cycles are the most irregular ones I know, and i’ve had it for over three years. I’m really forgetful, shortness of breath, and I think I have very moderate tinnitus (especially when I’m tired or when I’m in a load room). I mean, most of those symptoms can be just coincedential, but what do you think? Should I get tested for hypothyroidism?

Having one autoimmune disorder leaves you with a higher risk of developing others.

I’m also seeing that you might be undereating.. if you don’t eat enough food you can drop your metabolic rate to the point of causing your body to conserve calories, causing a weight gain. This is especially evident in folks that are dealing with low metabolic rates due to hypothyroidism… and can actually trigger poor thyroid gland function due to insufficient calorie intake OVER LONG PERIODS OF TIME to affect thyroid hormone conversion.

Getting the tests run will let you see where things are.. if it turns out your thyroid gland is truly fine, with proper TSH level and proper thyroid hormone levels, and no antibody… .then you can explore other possibilities from there.

QUESTION:
What is wrong with me? Hypothyroidism? Pituitary hypothyroidism? Hashimoto’s? Leukemia? ?
I’m 19, about 5 feet tall, 116 lbs. African-American.
History: Most of the symptoms I have I’ve had for years, but being raised in a family that pushed me to “just deal with it” whenever I complained about feeling sick Iwas forced to push myself. I’m in a much better situation, but since I’ve been here my health has consistently been declining and I’ve developed anxitey which keeps getting worse. Life before this year was pretty close to unbearably stressful including freuqent sporadic bouts of homelessness all throughout my life as well as other traumatic events. I thought maybe it could be ptsd or GAD, but the anxitey just began now that I’m removed from the stressful situation and placed into a stable one, same with my body pretty much breaking down. Through-out my developmental years I abused a variety of pills (Been clean for awhile.) as well as ingesting mass amounts of soy (vegetarian for eight years) and starting birth control at 14. Family has a history of cancer, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, addiction. Possibly a history of hypothyroid, but only one family member is officially diagnosed ,four people total with parallel symptoms though.

Symptoms including, but not limited to: Dry, brittle hair & scalp, hair loss, dry skin, several different kinds of recurring headaches (center of head between ears mostly), weight flucuations ,Hirsutism, irregular periods, infertility, acne, visual disturbances (three dots in a triangular formation), bleeding gums, tooth decay, sporadic dizziness, loss of motor control, slurred speech, fevers (past 2 month), menstrual irregularities, infertility, sinuses hurt constantly throughout ears and face, several serious sinus infections over the years, “lump stuck in throat” feeling, swelling under her chin sometimes, heartburn, stabbing chest pains (really painful almost incapacitating), heart palpitations, back & shoulder pain (excruciating, chronic), trouble digesting food, no appetite, possible gall bladder problems, daily nausea, muscle weakness, joint pain, chronic yeast infections over the years (generally very prone to infection), “tingling” in limbs kind of like they fell asleep but more intense of a pins & needles feeling, lack of energy, shortness of breath., lump on her arm about a centimeter or so high, what feels like carpal tunnel, insomnia, serious anxiety. Temperature. is very low in the morning and high at night. She’s extremely sensitive to cold, sensitive to light(sometimes it causes her to vomit or pass out)
We’re worried that the ranges of normality might be off considering she’s a pretty tiny person and i guess wouldn’t have the same range of normality as someone who is of average height and weight or someone that hasn’t been on birth control on and off since they were 14

Theories have been put forth that it could be either depression in general (it absolutely isn’t), 1.pituitary or secondary hypothyroid, 2.Adrenal failure originating in the pituitary gland( due to what seems like bouncing between hyperthyroid and hypothyroid) 3. Leukemia (due to her wbc being on the high end and her rbc being on the low end) or some Autoimmune disease (due to her lymphocyte count being on the high end and her monocyte count being on the low end)
Doctors are just pretty much refusing to listen to her tell them her symptoms or perform tests, especially if they know her history. Or they tell her it’s anxiety or depression because her results are “within range”.
Here are a lot of test results, if you can make any sense out of them I’d really appreciate it:
BUN/Creatinine Ratio 13
Alkaline Phosphatase, S 48 (IU/L)
LDH 115 (IU/L)
AST (SGOT) 15 (IU/L)
ALT (SGPT) 14 (IU/L)
pH 6.0
Free T4 1.28 (ng/dL)
TSH 1.051 (uIU/mL)
Thyroid Peroxidase (TPO) Ab <10 (IU/mL)
free t3 3.3 (pg/mL)
antithyroglobulin ab siemens (DPC) ICMA Method <20 IU/ML --40
WBC 8.6 (x10E3/uL)
RBC 4.13 (x10E6/uL)
Hemoglobin 12.3 (g/dL)
Hematocrit 36.2 (%)
RDW 12.7 (%)
Platelets 344 (x10E3/uL)
Neutrophils 46 (%)
Lymphs 49 (%)
Monocytes 4 (%)
Eos 1 (%)
Basos 0 (%)
Neutrophils (Absolute) 4.0 (x10E3/uL)
Lymphs (Absolute) 4.2 (x10E3/uL)
Monocytes (Absolute) 0.3 (x10E3/uL)
Eos (Absolute) 0.1 (x10E3/uL)
Baso (Absolute) 0.0

I forgot to clarify a few things. The tooth decay is recent, most of the enamel on my teeth is gone. I don't have insurance at all. I can't work and I can't go to school. And I'm no longer a vegetarian as of one year ago.
Also, I've been all over the vitamins situation. All kinds of D, B, B12, A and some other multi as well as iron supplements.

ANSWER:
Hello…your test results mean nothing to us if you don’t include the lab ranges. Thats because every lab has a different method of testing and have different ranges. So I am unsure what is low or high.

I have a pituitary condition AND Hashimotos. Before I was able to find a Dr. that would listen, I had many of the symptoms you describe and was told I was just depressed. I found a good Dr. that realized I might have the 2 conditions and combined they were making some of the lab results look normal (one condition was pulling them down, the other up). And he said “OF course your depressed, your very sick!” Why isn’t IGF 1 including in your test results? Thats a very important test to determine pituitary functioning. All your symptoms point to a pituitary problem. You need to find a good Endocrinologist who specializes in pituitary disorders. Go to www.pituitary.org and look through Dr. listings. I’m not sure what you should do about the financial issue but maybe someone can help you out.

QUESTION:
What is wrong with me? Hypothyroidism, Pituitary hypothyroidism, Hashimoto’s? Added ranges for results.?
I’m 19, about 5 feet tall, 116 lbs. African-American.
History: Most of the symptoms I have I’ve had for years, but being raised in a family that pushed me to “just deal with it” whenever I complained about feeling sick I was forced to push myself. I’m in a much better situation, but since I’ve been here my health has consistently been declining and I’ve developed anxiety which keeps getting worse. Life before this year was pretty close to unbearably stressful including frequent sporadic bouts of homelessness all throughout my life as well as other traumatic events. I thought maybe it could be ptsd or GAD, but the anxiety just began now that I’m removed from the stressful situation and placed into a stable one, same with my body pretty much breaking down. Through-out my developmental years I abused a variety of pills (Been clean for awhile.) as well as ingesting mass amounts of soy (vegetarian for eight years) and starting birth control at 14. Family has a history of cancer, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, addiction. Possibly a history of hypothyroid, but only one family member is officially diagnosed ,four people total with parallel symptoms though.

Symptoms including, but not limited to: Dry, brittle hair & scalp, hair loss, dry skin, several different kinds of recurring headaches (center of head between ears mostly), weight fluctuationss ,Hirsutism, irregular periods, infertility, acne, visual disturbances (three dots in a triangular formation), bleeding gums, tooth decay, sporadic dizziness, loss of motor control, slurred speech, fevers (past 2 month), menstrual irregularities, infertility, sinuses hurt constantly throughout ears and face, several serious sinus infections over the years, “lump stuck in throat” feeling, swelling under her chin sometimes, heartburn, stabbing chest pains (really painful almost incapacitating), heart palpitations, back & shoulder pain (excruciating, chronic), trouble digesting food, no appetite, possible gall bladder problems, daily nausea, muscle weakness, joint pain, chronic yeast infections over the years (generally very prone to infection), “tingling” in limbs kind of like they fell asleep but more intense of a pins & needles feeling, lack of energy, shortness of breath., lump on her arm about a centimeter or so high, what feels like carpal tunnel, insomnia, serious anxiety. Temperature. is very low in the morning and high at night. She’s extremely sensitive to cold, sensitive to light(sometimes it causes her to vomit or pass out)
We’re worried that the ranges of normality might be off considering she’s a pretty tiny person and i guess wouldn’t have the same range of normality as someone who is of average height and weight or someone that hasn’t been on birth control on and off since they were 14

I forgot to clarify a few things. The tooth decay is recent, most of the enamel on my teeth is gone. I don't have insurance at all. I can't work and I can't go to school. And I'm no longer a vegetarian as of one year ago.

Also, I've been all over the vitamins situation. All kinds of D, B, B12, A and some other multi as well as iron supplements.
Not diabetic. Been having trouble feeling my peehole and trouble peeing.

ANSWER:
I would ask for a serum ferritin test. Anemia often shows up in the ferritin (storage iron) before it is apparent in other iron tests. With your hemoglobin slightly below range, your hematocrit at the bottom of its range, and your history of vegetarianism, I would suspect that many of your symptoms are due to anemia. If you were a vegetarian for very long, you may have lost your ability to digest meat.
I would add that soy binds thyroid hormone and prevents it from being absorbed into your cells. If you still eat any soy at all, you can be hypothyroid on the tissue level, even though your blood levels look OK.
The lump in the throat might be a thyroid nodule, which should be watched with ultrasound imaging.

QUESTION:
Can you suffer from an under active thyroid without gaining weight?
I haven’t been officially diagnosed with Hypothyroidism, but I have a lot of the symptoms (fatigue, sluggishness, low immunity to illness, swollen throat and carpal tunnel syndrome), however I have never really had a problem with my weight! It can fluctuate but only slightly, is it possible to suffer from Hypothryroidism without weight gain?

I am a student and I had a load of blood tests at the end of last term, one of which said that I had something wrong with my thryoid, but I thought I would wait until I go back in September to see the doctor again rather than re-register in my hometown. Does anyone know whether it’s dangerous to go without treatment? Because I have been feeling rapidly worse in the last week or so, I’ve barely got out of bed the past two days! It was only a few months ago I developed carpal tunnel sydrome and today I woke up with a puffy face!

Oh one more thing, my sister suffers from Systemic lupus erythematosus (which is an autoimmune disease) -is that relevant?

Any help would be really appreciated! Thanks

ANSWER:
Yes it is possible. Weight gain is just one of the symptoms of an underactive thyroid, different people experience different symptoms. It may be that your metabolism is still going at a steady rate because of your young age. Do you have cold intolerance at all??

It is relevant that your sister has SLE because different types of autoimmune disease can run in families. Certain forms of hypothyroidism can be from an autoimmune cause.

If I were you I would go to your doctors at home. You shouldnt need to re-register, you can just sign in as a tempory patient. It doesnt sound fun being stuck in bed, and the right treatment can help you and make you feel 100% better.

If I were you I would want to know what the thyroid results were and see that it is undereactive. It might be worth calling up the place where you had blood taken and see if they can give you any info over the phone. You GPs at home should be able to start you on thyroxine if that is what you need, and then your GPs at uni can take over the treatment. Good luck!

QUESTION:
What autoimmune disorder(s) do you think I am most likely suffering from?
I am currently waiting on lab results and am wondering if you could help me pinpoint which auto-immune disorder(s) I am MOST LIKELY suffering from??

I have been diagnosed with Hashimoto’s disease with Hypothyroidism and most recently, Fibromyalgia. I am currently waiting for the results on a ton of bloodwork, but wanted to get some opinions if anyone is knowledgeable about this stuff. I will leave you with my master list of symptoms that i have compiled over the last 2 months:

I am unable to sleep less than 10 hours a night. If i do, i wake up completely sore, exhausted and crabby.
My weight fluctuates greatly. Last week I weighed 145, this week 152.
Have been trying to conceive for 3 years with no success using charting/opks and perfect timing for over 30 cycles (without medical intervention)
Dermatitis on right foot, scalp and behind ears
Extreme sensitivity to cold, anything below 76 degrees causes numbness and pain in extremities
Sensitivity to light (prefer to sit in darkened rooms, have been this way since i was a child, can’t stand bright lights or glare)
Night blindness (unable to drive at night, no depth perception at night, etc)
Irregular periods made less irregular with Synthroid, but still different lengths every cycle
Very delicate skin, light touch causes bruising, always have bruises. Some of them are without pain.
(severe)Mental fog, extremely bad memory and worsening. Unable to do mental math. I can set something down and then spend two hours looking for it and this happens every day. I also
forget what i am doing ALL THE TIME!
Have had a slight studder since I was a child.
Sometimes I read numbers backwards
Have to reread sentences or paragraphs to comprehend it
I write in an “uphill” fashion, i cannot write on the line unless i turn the paper completely sideways, this developed in middle-school.
(severe)Have problems saying what i mean, the words come out in the wrong order or i will accidently use a word that is similar to what i mean but not exactly and it won’t sound right. Husband calls me yoda!
Constantly crave sweet or salty food, worse with period
Terrible depth perception, always walking into table corners and door frames and unable to judge distances

MOST RECENT
popping muscles/tendons all over body
random nearsightedness
random chest pain
left eye twitching at random and happens every day now

Thyroid Panel is NORMAL, TSH at 0.9. So it’s not hypo symptoms :/

ANSWER:
With a list like that, I would expect them to come back and tell you Mixed Connective Tissue Disease, if not also including the possibility of Lupus. I would say I don’t want to scare you, but I doubt very much having lived with this much that anything I say would do that. A lot of your list can readily be attributed to Fibromyalgia (which I have, as well as connective tissue disease & suspicion of SLE), including the digestive & female problems. IBS and various issues such as PCOS commonly run with autoimmune inflammatory diseases. So does neuropathy, which you’ve also aptly described.

The sensitivity to cold you’re describing screams of Raynaud’s Syndrome (which I also likely have). Along with all that, if your light sensitivity includes being photosensitive w/ or w/out a malar rash… and you’ve got an elevated ANA, then your Dr should be considering Lupus. You should be seen by a rheumatologist if you haven’t already. You *might* need a neurologist at some point.

There are treatment options, whatever the case. You clearly look like a classic case of SOME kind of autoimmune disease. No matter what anyone says about it, Fibromyalgia is in that category as well. There is scientific proof of that. It’s just that some “professionals” want to turn a blind eye to the genetic markers that have been identified. Hashimotos is already accepted as being autoimmune anyway. Plaquenil is the usual first offering, and it’s very effective for a lot of people. If it’s tolerated well, it can be a literal lifesaver. Just discuss low-dose options to reduce the risks of toxicity. (Over 400mg is the danger zone for potential retina damage, even though it’s not common… why risk it?)

Be aware that a firm diagnosis can be drawn out and frustrating to obtain. Just take a deep breath and know that it may take some commitment on your own part to get answers. If a Dr doesn’t work well with you, move on to another. You may need to repeat labs to catch it in the act as well, as the results can vary wildly… Try to go when you feel your worst or close to it, if they come back negative the first time. Inflammation can be elusive in some people’s profiles when it comes to that paper confirmation.

Thyroid disease affect approximately 27 million people in the United States. More women than men are commonly found to suffer from thyroid symptoms. It is estimated that 4 out of 100 women have some type of autoimmune thyroid disease.

A thyroid that is underproducing thyroid hormone is termed hypothyroidism. It is characterized by insufficient levels of the primary thyroid hormones thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). Thyroxine is transformed into it’s active form of triiodothyronine by the liver.

As women have a higher incidence of thyroid problems than men, hypothyroidism is the main diagnosis, resulting in fatigue, weight gain, depression, high cholesterol and other symptoms. By contrast, a smaller number of women develop hyperthyroidism, or an overproduction of thyroid hormone in the blood.

Frequently Asked Questions

QUESTION:
Do I have a thyroid or autoimmune condition?
I’ve been having some seemingly minor health-related issues recently and I was wondering if these are indications of some kind of thyroid disease. I’m a 19 year old ethnically Chinese male born and raised in the USA.

I think I might have developed a mild case of Hives. It started around 1/3/11 and I get occasionally itchy around my legs arms back or chest which is followed by minor, small red bumps. It persists off and on daily usually in the morning/afternoon, but it isn’t too disruptive to everyday life. When I was maybe around 13, I also developed a case of shingles that went away after going to the doctor and taking meds.
I might also have some kind of Angioedema. It usually is just a raised bump under my eye about an inch and a half long when it occurs and goes away usually overnight. These started happening fairly infrequently maybe 6 months and might have happened on three or so occasions.
I’ve also developed a minor left eye twitch in the past 6 weeks or so. I’m not sure if this is at all related to the other issues.
My dad developed thyroid disease (I think hypothyroidism) sometime in his early-mid 20s which obviously raises my chances of having it.

Other than these symptoms, I don’t particularly identify with any of the common hypo or hyperthyroidism symptoms.

Finally, I should also note I took the quarter off from college to do some independent travelling in the Middle East and do some volunteer microfinance work in Uganda, so finding adequate healthcare might be an issue for me if there is indeed an imminent problem.
I’m still in Israel and have yet to travel to Uganda.

ANSWER:
Sounds like you have a significant Allergic history but not thyroid related. Know what you are allergic to and monitor your thyroid (TSH) levels with your doc every year. High TSH = hypothyroid. Low TSH = hyperthyroid. Good luck.

QUESTION:
autoimmune disease help. ?
was diagnosed at age 31 with Graves Disease. The symptoms came on suddenly and severely. I was put on the medications used for Graves Disease and also the symptoms the Graves Disease was causing such as high blood pressure. Then I started getting severe hives to the point of having to be rushed to the ER because they were in my throat.

Three endocrinologists later it was determined by the majority that I was allergic to the Graves Disease medication and I should get radioactive iodine to destroy my thyroid. I was told that my increased heart rate, increased blood pressure etc. was life-threatening so I consented to the RAI.

I am now 35 years old and the journy to finding out exactly what is wrong with me continues. My thyroid eventually bottomed out after receiving the RAI, so I had all of those symptoms. I am currently on Synthroid 175 MCG. Then I was diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome. Then I developed insulin resistance. I am now on Janumet to control the insulin resistance. Last year I developed severe chronic anemia and had to get 9 rounds of IV iron infusions. For the last two years I have been going to my endocrinologist every three months because something always goes wrong. I had a bout of severe intestinal distress and kept nothing down for three weeks and celiac disease was ruled out by and colonoscopy. Between April and today I have lost 40 pounds. My latest round of blood work shows that I have diabetes insepidus (sp) which is caused by a malfunctioning pituitary gland. I also have a chronic UTI infection for the last four months, increased white blood count in my urine, chronic fatigue, horrible moods, achy joints and bones, and a general feeling of being confused and aggitated.

Anyone have any clues as to what I should do next? the endocrinologist ran some kind of blood work panel – -I believe called and ADH panel and I will get it back next week and then he wants to send me for an MRI. It was also shown that my thyroid is now overactive again even though technically I am not supposed to have a thyroid.

What are other options or other tests I should ask for. The doctors seem so confused with what is going on with me because with regard to the autoimmune diseases it is confusing. The third endocrinologist I have been seeing came highly recommended because he is used as an expert witness related to autoimmune disorderes in court cases.

Thanks for any help or guidance.

ANSWER:
I am sorry for your condition, and I have seen miracles.

There is no way I can know what you are going through, but I looked a few things up .

http://www.doctorzebra.com/prez/g41.htm

this site is about the health of former president Bush Sr.

He developed Graves and so did his wife
the odds of this, dr. Zebra, ar four million to one.

I remember a long time ago reading about the microwave bombardment of the Blair house and how people who lived there were sick with graves. can’t find a source, though, the Bushes lived there.

also I found a discussion about graves and radiation:

http://www.askwaltstollmd.com/archives/graves.html

there are many different points of view here- a lot of personal insights
Maybe , if you read through them there may be something else you can try.

QUESTION:
My 8 year old son has high Cholesterol (240), high LDL, but normal tryglicerides.?
Doc has refered us to an Endocrinologist. I am not finding a whole lot of helpful info online about this. Everything I’m finding says “High Cholesterol, high LDL, and High Tryglicerides lead to…yada, yada, yada, and then it goes on to say that basically the child should lose weight!! My child is 8 years old, and 69 pounds!! The only thing I’ve found that kept popping up is Adrenal Gland growths and other problems w/the adrenal glands. We putt him on fish oil when we got the diagnosis and 2 months after we had his Cholesterol retested and it was HIGHER! Now it’s even higher and he DOES NOT eat fried foods. He excersises and eats right, I don’t understand!! It is really scarring me now and I don’t know what to do. The doctors are always quick to say “It may be this, or it may be nothing” and then we have to WAIT forever it seems.

He tested negative for diabetes and Thyroid disease. I have autoimmune Thyroid disease (Fun Fun!) and my family has a history of Gland problems.

Just so you know a little of his symptoms, 2 years ago he went from a “Normal” child to I knew something was wrong but doc’s won’t test based on “My child just isn’t acting right, I know something’s wrong”. He started getting migranes (Had a CT or 2 not tumors), Moody as all get out, ADHD got worse (WAY worse), started getting into fights at school, went from an honor roll student to failing in two classes, 3 times on routine physicals they have found protein in his urine but after the 24 hour urine they say it’s fine, rashes/hives come and go, nervousness, he can go from hyper to tired/sleepy in no time at all, he sleeps well most nights but others not at all, hearing difficulties (but his hearing test is fine), blurred vision, and I’m sure I’m forgetting something but it’s been a rollercoaster.

Someone please give me some lead to go on here, I’ve researched the adrenal glands and he doesn’t have those symptoms so I don’t understand?? Someone please help!!

ANSWER:
Have they done a pituitary MRI (with and without contrast)? CTs don’t always pick up the pituitary very well. What are his cortisol test results? Those would be off too if he has adrenal problems. They may have ruled out pituitary problems based on the normal thyroid result but be aware that if he too has an autoimmune thyroid problem, if the pituitary is making it go down and autoimmune up (or is it the other way, cant remember) it may look normal. This happened to me…I have Hashimotos and a severe pituitary disorder and my thyroid results showed normal. The Drs ruled out pituitary disorder and delayed treatment until I found a good endo who figured it out. Some of his symptoms sound pituitary…brain fog, fatigue, etc. But rash doesn’t fit. Maybe some other autoimmune disorder.

QUESTION:
autoimmune diseases?
was diagnosed at age 31 with Graves Disease. The symptoms came on suddenly and severely. I was put on the medications used for Graves Disease and also the symptoms the Graves Disease was causing such as high blood pressure. Then I started getting severe hives to the point of having to be rushed to the ER because they were in my throat.

Three endocrinologists later it was determined by the majority that I was allergic to the Graves Disease medication and I should get radioactive iodine to destroy my thyroid. I was told that my increased heart rate, increased blood pressure etc. was life-threatening so I consented to the RAI.

I am now 35 years old and the journy to finding out exactly what is wrong with me continues. My thyroid eventually bottomed out after receiving the RAI, so I had all of those symptoms. I am currently on Synthroid 175 MCG. Then I was diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome. Then I developed insulin resistance. I am now on Janumet to control the insulin resistance. Last year I developed severe chronic anemia and had to get 9 rounds of IV iron infusions. For the last two years I have been going to my endocrinologist every three months because something always goes wrong. I had a bout of severe intestinal distress and kept nothing down for three weeks and celiac disease was ruled out by and colonoscopy. Between April and today I have lost 40 pounds. My latest round of blood work shows that I have diabetes insepidus (sp) which is caused by a malfunctioning pituitary gland. I also have a chronic UTI infection for the last four months, increased white blood count in my urine, chronic fatigue, horrible moods, achy joints and bones, and a general feeling of being confused and aggitated.

Anyone have any clues as to what I should do next? the endocrinologist ran some kind of blood work panel – -I believe called and ADH panel and I will get it back next week and then he wants to send me for an MRI. It was also shown that my thyroid is now overactive again even though technically I am not supposed to have a thyroid.

What are other options or other tests I should ask for. The doctors seem so confused with what is going on with me because with regard to the autoimmune diseases it is confusing. The third endocrinologist I have been seeing came highly recommended because he is used as an expert witness related to autoimmune disorderes in court cases.

Thanks for any help or guidance.

ANSWER:
I urge you to go to the nearest University Hospital (generally near a Medical School) for help. You now have several systems involved & you will go broke in bod & in dollars before long.

You’ll get the latest, best treatment for all your difficult problems there. They’ll help you find ways to meet the costs. You can also consider treatment overseas (India is very good, while reasonable in cost [even including food, flights, lodging + they speak English)! Be prepared to spend a lot of time & have a lot of patience; you already must be doing that anyhow… Honestly, just do it! Good luck!

QUESTION:
autoimmune questions (regarding my health)?
I was diagnosed at age 31 with Graves Disease. The symptoms came on suddenly and severely. I was put on the medications used for Graves Disease and also the symptoms the Graves Disease was causing such as high blood pressure. Then I started getting severe hives to the point of having to be rushed to the ER because they were in my throat.

Three endocrinologists later it was determined by the majority that I was allergic to the Graves Disease medication and I should get radioactive iodine to destroy my thyroid. I was told that my increased heart rate, increased blood pressure etc. was life-threatening so I consented to the RAI.

I am now 35 years old and the journy to finding out exactly what is wrong with me continues. My thyroid eventually bottomed out after receiving the RAI, so I had all of those symptoms. I am currently on Synthroid 175 MCG. Then I was diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome. Then I developed insulin resistance. I am now on Janumet to control the insulin resistance. Last year I developed severe chronic anemia and had to get 9 rounds of IV iron infusions. For the last two years I have been going to my endocrinologist every three months because something always goes wrong. I had a bout of severe intestinal distress and kept nothing down for three weeks and celiac disease was ruled out by and colonoscopy. Between April and today I have lost 40 pounds. My latest round of blood work shows that I have diabetes insepidus (sp) which is caused by a malfunctioning pituitary gland. I also have a chronic UTI infection for the last four months, increased white blood count in my urine, chronic fatigue, horrible moods, achy joints and bones, and a general feeling of being confused and aggitated.

Anyone have any clues as to what I should do next? the endocrinologist ran some kind of blood work panel – -I believe called and ADH panel and I will get it back next week and then he wants to send me for an MRI. It was also shown that my thyroid is now overactive again even though technically I am not supposed to have a thyroid.

What are other options or other tests I should ask for. The doctors seem so confused with what is going on with me because with regard to the autoimmune diseases it is confusing. The third endocrinologist I have been seeing came highly recommended because he is used as an expert witness related to autoimmune disorderes in court cases.

Thanks for any help or guidance.

ANSWER:
This sounds like a case study that I had in gross anatomy. I am not a doctor but I have several med school classes and several classes associated with immunology. In the case that I had the 40 year old woman had a small tumor on her pituitary gland and she was being treated for graves disease, thyroid problems, and was having issues associated with diabetes. I would recommend that you seek the advice of an oncologist or rhumitologist (dont know if this is the correct spelling). If by chance it turns out to be a tumor on your pituitary gland the surgery to remove it is a fairly simple and effective surgery. I wish I could be of more help, but maybe this will give you something to check in to. I wish you the best and hope they can get it figured out.

QUESTION:
Looking for A Diagnosis … Does anyone have similar symptoms?
Here is a list of symptoms I have. All symptoms have become present within the last 3 years, except for asthma. I have had asthma my whole life. I am looking for answers because any research I have done and doctors I have seen have not been able to diagnosis me with the underlying cause.

I just got a call from my doctor, informing me that the tests I took most recently all came back negative. These tests included thyroid, autoimmune, anemia, and celiac disease.

All symptoms started to appear about 3 years ago when I had pneumonia. At the same time, I had my first outbreak of MRSA (which appeared in 3 separate places at once) and this is when my hair started to fall out (Alopecia).

I am becoming more and more upset about my health problems because I cannot find any answers. I do not know what is the cause for all these issues. I am lost with where to turn next, so I am asking this to the public to see if anyone else is in a similar situation or knows what I have.

I absolutely appreciate any answers or stories.

Thank You!

ANSWER:
Your Answer:
Possibly adrenal insufficiency, iodine deficiency, and maybe thyroid.
Take your temperature several times a day and if it varies quite a bit, that’s a sign of adrenal issues. Also, shine a light across your eyes in a dark room. If the pupils do not stay constricted, pulse, and/or ‘wobble’, that is another sign of adrenal issues. Please see:

http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/adr…

http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/ald…

If your normal body temperature is below 98.2 degrees F, you may also have a thyroid issue. Tests for thyroid “should be” the
Free T3 and Free T4, and they should be near the tops of their ranges with the Free T3 slightly higher thn the Free T4. If you only had a TSH run, it should ideally be “almost zero” or below 1. Please see: